Tell Me?
by blowersgate
Summary: Spoilers for all seasons/Complete. "There are simple things in life like saying ‘I love you’, but it can take a whole life to decide when and how to say it, even more so when you actually do feel for someone." Genre humour/romance & angst.
1. Prologue

**Heya all! I'm back with a new story, maybe, lol. This one is rated T and maybe M for language (ratings might change, we will see how this goes), I don't know about smut yet because tbh, I've never been able to write smut. But if you guys like the story, I will maybe give it a try. In the meantime, enjoy! :)**

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**Prologue**

There are simple things in life like saying 'I love you', but it can take a whole life to decide when and how to say it, even more so when you actually do feel for someone. In the case of Gregory House, it works like poker tells. Picture a Poker game. The asshole in front of you is Dr. Gregory House. He's smoking a cigar and drinking bourbon, not showing any care or remorse for something he has indubitably said or done. No understanding or appreciation for the people sitting around the table. But it's his goal. He doesn't want you to be able to decipher him, especially when he happens to give a crap about people. Only he masters bluffing and deciphering at the same time. One could say human nature has no secret to House.

However, the simple things House does for one another always are grand gestures. Which is why, the people sitting around the table in this fictitious Poker game are his colleague Dr. James Wilson, his slaves, or should I say assistants and his boss, Dr. Lisa Cuddy. Not just some random _idiots_, as he would put it. They all get him somehow, they don't know everything but he does have poker tells and each and every one of the people seated beside him have spent their whole time knowing him trying to guess them. It's a hard battle to fight the mystery that is House, because as much as they manage to get unfold, the man's enigmas pop up before his shield (which is, ninety percent of the time, up and about) as if another planet had blown up in the sky and a new star had form because of it.

I would even add, to keep the extended metaphor going here, that you can never reach fast enough for the stars. You might catch one but the others are billions of miles away. Now, one might (actually, everyone) ask me why it is even worth trying. Obviously, the guy has no self-control and an arrogance that goes beyond his genius. Generally speaking, he's an ass; he should go to hell and he definitely deserves to die. Nevertheless, the people seated next to him at the Poker table think differently. His condition puts him through hell everyday and sadly, it is clear that he wants to let himself die for not having the guts to get his damn leg chopped off. House is a proud man. But he is an inevitable contradiction. Maybe one side can get the better of him. This is what the people we can call his friends want to unravel. With his tells, he's letting them in. The game is always on because he's willing to play it.

But I'm only able to tell you all this because I'm his best friend. I am the person sited next to Cuddy and since he's not looking at my cleavage, I can tell he wants to be with her. Anyway, over with the fictitious Poker game thing.

You know, any sort of extra activities would do him some good. I'm not talking about watching General Hospital or playing Poker with me every Monday nights or having sex with different hookers every week, I'm talking about non-doctoring stuff. Actually, come to think of it, he needs sex but he needs it with the real deal. Again, NO! Don't get there! I'm talking about his boss, Lisa! She has just started fostering a kid, you know? Maybe she'll even adopt her. Rachel is so cute. I got her all these ducks that are way too big for her! And no, I don't have this neediness towards ducks and I never lacked of or asked for ducks as a child or had a mother that wouldn't get me one or anything. I just love ducks!

Still, I'm pretty sure she's as miserable as he is because there's something missing. I miss Amber. I miss her so much and I know that I'm miserable. But I want to try to get back into a normal routine with my best friend without thinking that his attitude, who he is! Is the reason why she's not here anymore. You know, I love who he is and I only hope he finds some happiness. Preferably, soon.

Speaking of which, did I mention Cuddy? You know they've kissed, right? Actually, HE kissed her. Isn't that fantastic? House, showing is human side! It's been a long time since he has had an opportunity to score like that but he just didn't go for it. She wants him, it is as clear as ice. And he definitely wants to do her. Does this mean there's more to it than that? I honestly don't know. What I know is that if he doesn't let go of his fears and risk his pride, he will lose any chance he has with her. And he has to grab any chance at happiness. In the end, I think the only reason he'll push her as far away as he can is because he doesn't want to lose her. I guess, maybe, he does lo…

"HEY WILSON, WANNA PLAY SOME LESBIAN STRIP POKER TONIGHT? YOU GET THE NURSES, I'll TAKE CARE OF THE HOOKERS!" House shouted from behind Wilson's office door.

"Is Cuddy chasing after you?" Wilson asked with a knowing smile on his face.

"YES! BUT SHE APOLOGIZED AND ALL. IT'S VERY SWEET THAT SHE'S TRYING TO GET INTO MY PANTS WITHOUT THE EVIL WITCH MASOCHISTIC COMPLEX MASK ON OR WITH A BAMBINO IN HER ARMS-" House said.

"You know you don't have to yell." Wilson said matter-of-factly and added when Cuddy barged in frantically, "besides, she's right next to you, idiot!".

"HAAAAAAAAAA!" House screamed when he saw her, "Wilson, help me, She-Devil's here!", he whispered.

"WILSON, TELL HIM HE'S AN ASS!" Cuddy yelled.

"The no-yelling rule applies to you too, you know?", Wilson asked as nicely as he could. Not wanting the demon that was Cuddy at that moment to lash onto him instead of House. "Whatever the reason of this disagreement you two have, I'm sure, you can find some common ground-", Wilson tried, saving his precious Word document and closing his laptop in the process. House eyed him suspiciously.

"I'M YOUR BOSS, I'M TIRED AND I'M PISSED OFF! IF I FEEL LIKE YELLING, EVEN IN THIS PERFECT OFFICE OF YOURS, I WILL" Cuddy kept going.

"You know, without the 'off', I probably could be nicer to you. A drunk Cuddy is a fun Cuddy! Well, mostly fun for me!" House replied sarcastically.

"HOUSE! NO STRIP POKER, NO HOOKERS, YOU HAVE WORK TO DO TONIGHT!" she tilted her head back slightly to meet his eyes. Both their faces had soften, something Wilson sighed with relief for. "END OF DISCUSSION!" she yelled again, this time facing Wilson.

"I THOUGHT YOU TWO HAD MADE UP!" Wilson started to yell as well. Not getting much of what was happening.

"We have, which is why he's not getting away from a new patient." Cuddy added simply and spinning on her heels, she exited Wilson's office.

"Can you believe she actually lashed out her frustration on you in the end? This is cool; we should have those gatherings more often!" House offered.

"No thank you!" Wilson replied.

"By the way, which porn site were you on when I came in?" House asked, still suspicious from the way his friend had closed his laptop.

"Cane and Cleavage." Wilson shrugged off.

Seeing his friend would remain adamant, House decided to let go for now.

"HOUSE. WORK. NOW!" they heard Cuddy yell from behind the door one more time.

"OF COURSE, I HAVE INVITED DR. CUDDY TO THE LESBIAN STRIP POKER PARTY! SHE DECLINED MY INVITATION BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T WANT ALL THE GIRLS TO REALIZE SHE HASN'T ASKED FOR A SEX CHANGE YET! I KNOW THIS IS WEIRD BUT HE-CUDDY IS STRAIGHT, WILSON!" House yelled, knowing anybody close by the elevator would be glaring at a furious Dean of Medicine treading the floors away from the Diagnostic Department and going, head down, faster by every clicking sounds of her high heels.

"Oh, God-" Wilson sighed, completely weary of the situation.

As she kept going towards the elevator, she slowed down her pace and gave in to play the game one last time, "AT LEAST ONE OF US HAS GOT THE OTHER ONE BY THE BALLS!".

That comment had about thirty horrified looks and three grins popping up at once.

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**Author's note: Okay, this is the first chapter of my second story ever that I hope to continue, if you guys like it and decide to hit the purple button a lot (nothing against constructive criticism, without critics, there's no fun in writing) I might be able to write faster. I'm not a writer and english isn't my first language. So if you give this fic a chance, I know I will.**


	2. Chapter 1

**A short chapter. Hope you like it! Don't forget to review if you want/can! :)**

**Chapter 1: Tell me that I ****want to know.**

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That night, at House's apartment, he and Wilson, along with some strangers House had –again, met somewhere Wilson wouldn't even dare to ask about, were playing Poker.

"So these are the hookers? What about the nurses I've invited to join us? Should I cancel?" Wilson asked, bewildered at what was in front of him. If House is miserable, those guys surely look even worse than his best friend. He even wondered if they knew showers existed or if their immune system was still working properly.

"Come on! I know you wouldn't invite them. You're Cuddy's knight in shiny armor. Right now ducks and babies are more important to you than women. Go figure." House shrugged off.

"How do you-", Wilson tried.

"Body language" House stated, matter-of-factly, "you're not over Amber, you don't want to date, you're afraid of sex because you don't want to marry the first woman you start sleeping with and you think everybody needs saving."

"How can you say all that just from looking at my body language?" Wilson asked.

"Because Cuddy told me-"House acknowledged.

"Of course-", Wilson threw in.

"And because you're holding cards instead of holding that other thing you're supposed to hold with your hand, if you get my drift." House stated.

"There was no drift in that sentence!" Wilson argued.

"'Like you know everything!" House replied.

"I definitely do know more about you than those strangers you brought to your place!" Wilson said.

"Oh, really?" House smirked. He definitely had something on his mind and here, Wilson couldn't really figure what that was. "You want to know more but you genuinely don't need to. Am I right?"

"I'm not sure I'm following you here." Wilson answered, suspicious.

"You want to know what's going on with me but you don't need to know everything because you think you know enough. Well, enough to remain my best friend." House explained.

"So I can ask you the same question I've asked you at least a thousand times before, right?" Wilson asked, "If that isn't the need to know then I don't know what that is.", he shrugged.

"Hit me!" House said as he needed to satisfy his curiosity.

"Why won't you ask Cuddy out?" Wilson asked.

"You're going to get the same answer as usual. She's my boss!" House answered, his blue eyes fixing his friend's brown ones.

"What you're not answering is why it's bothering about dating your boss; which leads me to think, this isn't the reason." Wilson answered, never looking away from his friend.

"So you're saying that I never give you the right answers." House said, looking away.

"I'm saying I definitely do know a lot about you and that I need to know. Is this what you wanted to know?" Wilson answered flatly but couldn't hide the small grin forming on his face.

"So far you're the only one who has asked me questions." House replied.

"Then I guess, you're just as needy as I am." Wilson remarked. House said nothing and a cold silence settled.

"Guys, can we play some poker?" one of the men seated at the table threw in.

"Wait! You guys are still here?" House grinned.

Wilson sighed and said playfully, "Yes, we can!" House nodded his head in agreement.

Two games later, his pager went off, ". My new patient is getting sicker. I should go otherwise he'll, you know, die!" House said with a (completely fake) horrified look on his face.

"You can't leave me with these guys!" Wilson tried to argue.

"Trust me, without me around; you've got the upper hand. And Jacob here is loaded." House said, pointing at the man seated at Wilson's right.

"My name's Jacky." The man remarked.

"What's your last name?" House asked, rolling his eyes.

"Jacob-"Jacky answered. Wilson shook his head in disbelief.

"I've made my point. He's an idiot; you've got the upper hand." House winked at Wilson. "Have fun, children!" House said picking up his jacket, his bike keys.

"As if you even cared more about a patient than you do about the money you could make tonight!" Wilson remarked.

"You told me Wilson; I really, really want to know!" House said before he closed the door behind him.

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"You know what Rachel? I have no idea why he has asked me to do that." Cuddy spoke softly to a squealing Rachel and added, "I have no idea why I just did it! It didn't even sound important to him; he just wanted me to page him tonight! This is strange, don't you think? "The baby squealed some more. "Oh God, why do I even bother to want to know?" she paused for a second, "because I'm his boss or-"

Cuddy thought she saw a smile forming on her –surprisingly, cooing little bundle of joy's face. "You like it when I talk about him, don't you Princess?" Cuddy eyed Rachel carefully. Eventually, baby barf ended up on Cuddy's top.

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	3. Chapter 2

**A new chapter, I hope you like it. Don't forget to review! :)**

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**Chapter 2: Tell me what I should know.**

_Cuddy can be trust worthy. Definitely more than Wilson_, House thought on his way to the hospital.

Just thinking of her made his heart rate speed up. It could probably match the speed of his bike.

_And she's got great fun bags. Although I have to admit __that what I love the most about her is her ass, her face, her eyes, her smile, her lips and the fact that she's not an idiot. Although, is it necessarily in that order? But she's a woman and only women can break my heart. Besides, this woman is the devil! Wilson could, but as much as he's the closest thing to a woman to me, as far as I know, he's still a guy._

_Maybe she thinks I asked her to page me for some hanky-panky. I can't really blame her, really. I'm that good! No, I'm not. Whatever. It__ just feels nice. _

The headlights before him went by so fast he hadn't realized he had arrived at PPTH.

When he reached the elevator doors, House couldn't help himself. He needed his snarky self to be back on.

"Cripple coming through!" he shouted as a few people were coming out of the elevator. When some nurses tried to get in he said, "Sorry, this one's full. Take the next one". He grinned seeing the angry looks the nurses were throwing at him.

The Cancer and Diagnostics departments' floor was clear at this hour. House figured right as he thought his team would be working in the lab, not getting any sleep in the process. The thought made him smile. Never feeling bad when it comes to annoying the crap out of people. Or was it because he had a bet going on with Chase about how long could his team hold it together without sleep? He shrugged and started picking a lock. Wilson's office, to be more precise. He had never picked it before and it took him less than thirty seconds. He could have gone to Wilson's office through their joined balcony but decided that freaking Wilson out and quite possibly annoying him would be a hell of a treat.

Once he got in, he went to sit behind his friend's desk and opened the laptop. He had to look for the suspicious document or whatever that was; Wilson was looking at earlier that day when he and Cuddy barged in his office. House went through most of his friend's folders when one caught his attention, under which was written: 'Don't look. Personal'. _I have now evidence that my best friend is an idiot,_ House thought.

House clicked on it and there was one Word file simply named 'Diary of a nice oncologist'. Not wasting anymore time than he already had thinking his friend had some serious issues with self esteem, House opened the file.

This document was about a thousand pages long –which made House cringe under his breath. While skipping most pages and by noticing keywords, he could make out that this was about his life, his ex-wives, the medical genius that is his best friend (House grinned) as well as the bastard that he is (House grinned some more), Amber etc. He decided to go to the last pages. What he read made him stare in shock at the laptop.

"_There are simple things in life like saying 'I love you', but it can take a whole life to decide when and how to say it, even more so when you actually do feel for someone. In the case of Gregory House, it works like poker tells."_

_Okay, the guy must be happy to be playing poker without me __right now, _House thought.

"_I would even add, to keep the extended metaphor going here, that you can never reach fast enough for the stars. You might catch one but the others are billions of miles away._"

_That is so fucking girly!_

"_Generally speaking, he's an ass; he should go to hell and he definitely deserves to die."_

_Wow, thank you, Jimmy boy!_

"_Nevertheless, the people sited next to him at the Poker table think differently. His condition puts him through hell everyday and sadly, it is clear that he wants to let himself die for not having the guts to get his damn leg chopped off. House is a proud man. But he is an inevitable contradiction. Maybe one side can get the better of him. This is what the people we can call his friends want to unravel. With his tells, he's letting them in. The game is always on because he's willing to play it."_

He kept reading.

"_I am the person sited next to Cuddy and since he's not looking at my cleavage, I can tell he wants to be with her."_

And reading.

"_Still, I'm pretty sure she's as miserable as he is because there's something missing."_

Simply mesmerizing each words.

"_Speaking of which, did I mention Cuddy? You know they've kissed, right? Actually, HE kissed her. Isn't that fantastic? House, showing is human side! It's been a long time since he has had an opportunity to score like that but he just didn't go for it."_

_I'm a nice guy; I just don't screw like that!_ House thought.

"_She wants him, it is as clear as ice. And he definitely wants to do her. Does this mean there's more to it than that? I honestly don't know."_

_I SIMPLY want to do her but I know that if I do her… _House tried to shrug off that idea and kept reading.

"_What I know is that if he doesn't let go of his fears and risk his pride, he will lose any chance he has with her."_

He wanted to stop reading.

"_And he has to grab any chance at happiness."_

But he couldn't.

"_In the end, I think the only reason he'll push her as far away as he can is because he doesn't want to lose her."_

_-Except, I'm not that nice, Wilson. _House kept reading.

"_I guess, maybe, he does lo…"_

He closed the laptop harshly and sighed, "Fuck".

House exited Wilson's office and ran towards his office as fast as his legs and cane could take him. He closed the blinds behind him. In the deep of the night, only the pale moonlight serving as a light. He looked for the Jack Daniels in his secret stash, poured himself a drink. He then popped not two but three vicodins, hoping that it would knock him down fast. Trying not to think about Wilson's document, Cuddy or his friends words he drunk half of his bottle and finally dozed off.

He opened his eyes. He felt like he had only fallen asleep a few minutes ago. He could see it wasn't morning yet and it seemed like the moon hadn't moved a bit. He was drunk. At least he felt like it but he didn't feel like pueking, which he took as a good sign.

"What are you still doing here", he heard a familiar voice ask him. He could make out Cuddy's body shape from the dim of the light catching her legs.

"I'm getting high trying not to think of you. ", he answered.

"Really? I'm sorry my presence can't make it easier for you." she smirked.

"No you're not! So, please just go away." House tried.

She slowly walked from the door to him and her whole body was being displayed before him. She was drenched in her rain coat. She took his breath away.

"Is this a metaphor for 'I want you House and the fact that I'm soaking wet proves it?'" House asked not taking his eyes away from her. "Seriously Cuddy, go home to your evil spawn, I have work to do in the morning and so do you."

"House, there's no rain outside." She indulged him nevertheless stating it matter-of-factly. She was moving closer. She stopped inches from where he was seated. He gulped as she took his hands in hers.

"Cuddy, what are you doing?" he questioned.

"Showing you the way." She teased. But there was a serious undertone to it.

"What is this about? Why are you drenched?" He asked as she put his hands on her chest.

"Inviting-", she breathed, "You-"her hands were making his unbutton her rain coat, "in." she stated, he could see her eyes were filled with lust for him.

"Because you're drenched?" he asked, trying to figure this out instead of feeling her up all the way, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

"No-"She stopped his hands from ripping the only piece of clothing he then realized she was wearing. His blue eyes were staring in the deep of her blue-grey ones, "Because you are."

He woke up, soaking wet, all the way from his temples to his jeans. The morning light was blinding him. He looked at his clock. It said 5:15 AM. All he could think about was going home. His head wouldn't stop pounding; he rose up from his chair and headed out of his office. He had trouble limping on his way out of the hospital. Nurses were throwing him questioning looks. He wanted sleep, he wanted to throw up, he… He could see a storm coming up once he was at the hospital's entrance. He would have to take a cab and leave his bike at the hospital.

That sight before him; so beautiful, so clear. He wanted to take it; he wanted to know how it would feel. He wanted to know how it would make her feel.

But he also wanted to throw up, sleep and then rationalize everything that had happened.


	4. Chapter 3

**Another little chapter for you guys! Hope you like it! And again, thanks so much for the reviews! :)**

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**Chapter 3: Tell me something only you can say.**

"Where the hell is House?" Cuddy asked, barging in the team's room.

"House is always late." Thirteen answered, "He comes and goes as pleased. You know that, you're the one who hired him."

"This patient has muscle failure, possible heart failure and his depression is getting worse which is not helping." Cuddy paused, sighing. "He is a friend of a very important donor, I need House to do his job and figure out what's wrong with –", she added, Kutner cutting her off in the process.

"-He did." He said.

"What?" Cuddy asked, taken aback.

"He left us a note on the white board." Taub remarked, "It was Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It is often misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder, which is why we didn't focus on the fact that maybe Mr. Adler didn't have bipolar disorder. "

Cuddy sighed in relief.

"We've confirmed it. The antibodies are in his blood. We've started treating him with thyroid hormone replacement about an hour ago and then one pill each day for the rest of his life. He's going to be fine." Thirteen added.

"How the hell did he figure out autoimmune without running any lab tests?" Cuddy said, barely above a whisper.

"You know how it works; his epiphanies invite themselves in his mind. It's easier for them than it is for us", Kutner shrugged.

"Well, when he comes in, you'll tell him he has two more hours of clinic duty to do to make up for him showing up late." Cuddy told the team while leaving, which usually had the effect of ending this type of conversations.

"There was something else on the note," Taub cut in. Cuddy stopped.

She turned back on her heels to face them, and with an exasperated sigh she asked "What did it say?"

"'Don't worry about thanking me for saving your ass, Supertanker. Having you wet dreaming about me definitely helped me sending that lifeboat out for you.'" Taub read, trying to hide his grin.

"Of course…", she said trying to compose herself before making a proper exit. Which she did, save for the slight blush on her face the team made out as she left.

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The diagnosis. This is what the dream was about. Nothing else. House lay on his bed, thinking. Thinking too much. He hadn't been able to sleep. He wanted to but couldn't. The hardest part about sobering up was the wake up, then throwing up and then going back to some well deserved sleep. Except that in House's case, none of the aforementioned had happened. He tried to play some piano, tried to his guitar when he felt the piano wouldn't comply with his need for unconsciousness. Sadly, his guitar had no effect on him either. He wouldn't turn the T.V on as it would probably hurt his eyes. However, porn magazines could have been a good idea, except for the fact that the loners he had invited in last night had stolen all of them (all three of them to be exact).

_I should listen to Wilson more often_, he smiled but shrugged off that thought as it wasn't about porn magazines anymore but about his sex or _should he say_ love life. And that... wasn't good for him right now. A sudden throbbing pain hit his leg. He reached for his bottle of vicodin but decided against popping some. He hated the sate he was in; Gregory House was hurting because he couldn't stop thinking about his boss. _What the fuck is wrong with me?_ He thought.

House always had some Jack Ds laid in supplies for severe cases of what he called 'unstoppable drunkenness'. One of the top diagnostician in the world had his way of dealing with pain and with drunken states. The factor that prevails here is the time factor. House hates pain because pain takes time to heal and it takes his time away from the possibility to take time away from thinking about pain itself. Vicodin only helps the pain fade. But for Gregory House, pain can't stop. He couldn't wait to get better and in order to do that he needed to knock himself out some more. House poured himself another drink; put the pill inside his dry mouth and drunk the healing beverage.

A seven hours dreamless sleep was having some real effect on House because when he woke up around 9 o'clock that night, he rushed into the bathroom.

The man was awake and almost numb once he got out. However, he would have to clean up his mess soon as the smell is something that can't go away on its own, at least, not fast enough. Nothing can go away on its own, in reality.

He took a good look at himself and realized he was still wearing his clothes from last night, a pair of black jeans and a white shirt. His apartment had no light on, only the moon to accompany his soon to be over hangover. At least it wasn't raining outside.

He put some music on and headed to the bathroom once again to run a bath. He was about to get undressed when he heard a knock on the door.

He went for the door and opened it. When he saw who it was, he tried to shut the door but she forced it open and rushed her way inside.

"I didn't invite you in!" House said through gritted teeth.

"Let me get these words out before I burst-" she tried but stopped herself once the smell had invaded her nostrils. "Just go get a shower or something. You stink."

"And after that-"House tried to ask.

"Go to hell." She said, simply.

"No." he retorted, "this, right here is hell!"

The anger in his tone and the fury in his eyes took her aback.

"House, what is going on?" she asked, now concerned.

"My bath's running, I'm going to go have it now. You should leave." He answered turning away from her.

A House with a hangover was leaving her with the option to stay or leave.

Either way, she had seen it coming.

One question remains though, _is a raincoat enough for not one but two storms?_


	5. Chapter 4

**Update! YEAH! And I'm about to write some more so you might get a 'new sort of resolution' later tonight! ;) Don't forget to go on a review spree! Thanks again for reading.**

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**Chapter 4: Tell me why I should.**

In his bathtub, House couldn't stop thinking about the sight of Cuddy at his door. This was all too strange; she was wearing almost exactly the same raincoat she had been in his dream. The mind is a powerful thing but a coincidence like that scared the crap out of him. When House can't explain something, his guard might shut down and he hated that.

He had used some good amount of shower gel and soap. He didn't have any shampoo left so he simply got his hair enough wet to reduce the bad scent. About an hour later, he was as clean as one could be.

When he got out of the bathtub, he hoped she'd be gone but he had a strong feeling she would still be here. The way he had reacted would have made anybody close to him suspicious but not smart enough to just leave him alone.

Only wearing a blue towel around his waist, he went to his living room definitely not hoping to prove himself right. No Cuddy. House sighed. At least he wouldn't have to deal with her.

"You know you take more time in the bathroom than I do?" he heard a voice spoke to him from behind.

"Great, you're still here." He stated, turning back to face her. "I was thinking of you in the bathtub." He added sarcastically.

"I'm sure you were." She replied, her lips forming a small smile. At least the situation felt normal again. It reminded her that she was in fact more at ease with his sarcasm than his behind blue eyes self. Speaking of blue eyes, it wasn't the only thing blue she was being moved by. Feeling just _a little too_ frisky.

"Stop staring." He remarked, knowing her stare would be trouble for him.

"Sorry. I was thinking you might need to put some clothes on as the fresh air will certainly put your manhood to disgrace." She smirked.

"I'll have you know Little Greg isn't afraid of disgrace because women always come back to him!" he replied.

"No, I'm sure Little Greg isn't but House is." She added still grinning.

House frowned. "Instead of staring, why don't you make some coffee while I get dressed?" he finally asked with a sudden move from his hips, almost dropping his towel in the process.

"You know a defeat is always a funny sight-"she started, smiling some more.

"Oh for crying out loud! Just go make the damn coffee, woman!" he said, annoyed and hurried to his bedroom, passing by her in the process.

It was his cue to leave now and she was happy about it. Besides, she had been rewarded with some eye-candy.

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"Coffee's ready." She said moving from the kitchen to his leaving room.

He limped out of his bedroom to join her on the couch. He sat down and took the mug from her, gulping some.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" he asked, furious that he had been stupid enough to swallow the hot drink rapidly.

"You asked for COFFEE, you damn well know it's got to be hot!" she replied, taking zips from her tea.

"See, that's the reason why I won't thank you for making me coffee." He added, slightly grinning now.

"You're welcome." She said, drinking some more.

"So is your friend of a donor happy I've cured his partner? And by partner, I mean that they're very fond of each other and regularly practice the horizontal tango." he asked.

"How did you know?" she asked, slightly shocked.

"How do _you_ know?" he asked back.

"I asked first!" she retorted.

"This is my place, I make the rules and I'll kick you out if you don't comply." He shrugged.

"You'd have to carry me and I'm pretty sure my ass is too big for your leg to hold long enough." She remarked.

"There are things about me you don't know Cuddy." He raised an eyebrow, daring her to try him.

She sighed, "I thought the only reason why he was being so nice to the hospital and consequently to me was because he wanted me to meet him at a restaurant. Because this hospital needs money and because I needed to know if he was simply after me, I said yes."

"I knew you were a whore! High five Cuddles!" he cut in, raising his hand to hers.

"'_Except_, it wasn't a date and he had brought his _friend _Mr. Adler with him and had asked me to keep this under strict confidence as it turned out Mr. Adler was his boyfriend."

"Well, not every man can be wet dreaming about you!" he shrugged.

"Shocking, huh?" she grinned.

"Actually, it's more of a pleasant feeling." he stated.

"That was… nice of you, I think" she stared at him, bewildered. "Why the-".

"Don't you think you should go home to your baby?" he cut her off.

"House, it's 10:30, I've been here for a little over an hour. Don't you think the babysitter knows I'm out taking care of a big problem?" she asked, relieved he had changed the subject.

"I don't need to be taking care of." He remarked.

"Yes, you do! House you've missed a whole day of work doing God knows what!" she said, eyeing him.

"I came in last night, I diagnosed the guy. I hadn't slept, I needed sleep." He said, calmly.

"Did you?" she asked.

"Did what?" he asked back.

"Sleep?" she indulged him. Or not.

"Not much." he admitted.

"How come?" she asked, knowing she was entering tough grounds.

"I had a bad night." He simply said, barely above a whisper.

The phone started ringing.

"You should get that." She said, turning her attention back on her mug.

"It's probably Wilson. Let the answering machine do its job." He said but didn't go pick up.

She said nothing. They heard a beep and Wilson's voice came on the machine's speakers:

'_HOUSE! Why would you pick up my door lock?! You know you can go to my office using the balcony. If this is just to annoy me, well you have got what you wanted! The lock is broken and I'm going to have to replace it and I'm going to make sure Cuddy hears about it and make you pay for it._" There was a short pause.

'_But even more so, I'm PISSED, I know you've read my document. I certainly hope it's making you feel like crap, right now. This is my life you've read about, my thoughts. You don't give a crap about people's privacy. I'm hurting and you can't accept it unless you read about it. Well, I hope Cuddy never realizes how much you 'lurv' to be around her because it would be the end of you guys. Screw you, House. Go be miserable for all I care. You've earned it." _The answering machine had stopped, signifying Wilson had hung up.

_Okay, maybe I should have picked up the damn phone._House thought as a pair of blue-grey eyes met his, completely dumbfounded.


	6. Chapter 5

**A very long (for me, lol) and awaited chapter for you guys! Don't forget to review cause really... this one is like the most important one for you to review, lol. ;) Constructive criticism are obviously very welcomed. ENJOY!!!! xD**

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**Chapter 5: Tell me a storm.**

This moment could have lasted an eternity. She wanted him to speak to her first but the wait was unsustainable. It took her a lot of strength to get the words out.

"What is this about?" she asked.

He remained silent. His eyes were slowly leaving hers.

"House, look at me!" she pleaded.

"You should go home." He finally spoke.

"House, you have got to let me in." she remarked.

"No, I don't. Wilson's brilliant remark has nothing to do with you and me. It's about his girly diary." He shrugged.

"House, the end was clearly about you and… me-"she tried.

"Listen Cuddy, I don't care what you think you've heard. It doesn't apply to me." He cut her off, his eyes showing more anger by the second.

She was going to be damned if she didn't push it. "What happened last night? Is this why you've asked me to page you? So you could break into his office and go through his personal files?" she paused, seeing she had nailed that one. "You've read some stuff Wilson has written and decided to drown yourself to a comatose state?"

"I needed to stop thinking." He said getting up from the couch. Their proximity making him uncomfortable now.

"About what?" she asked, rising up to meet him.

"About the hookers I'd love to screw hard enough to get you to shut it once and for all. You see, my boner _just_ wouldn't go away on its on and since you want me to work all the time, I had to put and end to it." He replied, laughing with the best fake laughter he could come up with.

"You're not serious." She spoke softly, trying to hold back tears. Silence settled. She broke it with a neutral sigh, "The saddest thing about it is that I think I can believe you."

"This is your cue to leave, embrace it." He added, coldly.

"Don't worry, I'm leaving. Go get stoned again. We both know this is what's going to happen once I get out of here." She stated, matter-of-factly. She put her rain coat back on and left his apartment. A loud bang hit House's ears. The sound of the door shutting as thunder and its lightning crashed silenced House once and for all. At least, to Cuddy who was now outside with the stormy rain for sole companion, it felt better than any 'Fuck you' she could have inconvenienced him with.

House stared at the doorway as if facing his wonder wall, not daring to open the door and see what a mess he had _again_ made for himself. His phone started to ring again. He was too stunned at what had just happened to pick up.

'_Hey House, it's Wilson again. Listen, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be such an ass. You know you've kind of deserved it but it was low on my part. I don't want you to be miserable, you know that, right? I know Cuddy can be-'_

"Cuddy's gone. I literally threw her out." House spoke at the other hand of the phone.

"How? Why? What happened? What did you do?" Wilson asked, stunned and surprised his friend had picked up the phone.

"She came to my place; she heard everything you've said." House acknowledged.

Wilson sighed, "And you just couldn't have a grown up-like discussion about it, could you?" he paused, "This is bad."

"What was I supposed to do?" House threw in.

"You were supposed to not act like a jerk! Other than that, I can't tell you what to do!" Wilson shouted in the receiver.

Suddenly House heard the thunder growl; a massive blackout hit the neighborhood, effectively shutting down the landline.

"Wilson?" House tried. "Great..." he whispered. A few seconds had passed when House stopped staring at the receiver and rushed to his door.

* * *

A lightning crashed nearby and a flooded over Cuddy, literally and emotionally, was trying to move forward –not an unusual thing for her to do. The woman had slowed down her pace while scrunching through her purse for her car keys. Anger and panic ensued.

"Cuddy! Wait! Stop" she heard him call her. She kept on walking in the darkness of the night, trying to remember where she had parked her _damn_ car again.

"You're stubborn, you know that?" he shouted loud enough for her to hear.

"You wanted me gone, I am." She replied, still walking. The rain reducing her rain coat to a glacier.

"Come on! There's a blackout and the storm is right above us. It's not safe to go home-"he tried, searching for her outline. He could make out that she was still walking, though. He started chasing after her, as fast as his legs could carry him.

"So now you care about me?" she cut him off, stopping dead in her tracks.

"I'm inviting you back in, isn't it enough right now?" he said as he caught up with her.

She didn't turn back to face him. Instead, she started walking back to her car once more.

"Fine! Have it your way!" he stated, going the opposite way that would lead him back to the porch. "You'll always outrun me. I'm sorry I can't figure things out as fast as you can. I'm an ass, it's a fact. You should take my word for it! "He yelled on his way back.

She span quickly on her heels just in time to see him shut the door which caused the night's second loud bang.

House had his back to the door, his hand squeezing the doorknob. He was breathing heavily from all the yelling he had just done.

He knew this wouldn't do any good. But he just couldn't have stopped himself. He was tired of being an idiot. _Worried_. Why had he been? Or did he want to apologize? He didn't know himself. _Cold_. His surroundings felt cold. Or was it him? He was drenched from his hair, through his shirt and jeans to his shoes.

_I have to go back_, he thought. _I can't be on bad terms with her._

_I was out of line. I have to go tell her._

He snapped out of his though process and opened the door in haste to reveal a drenched Cuddy with a fisted hand as if ready to knock on his door.

She gasped at the door suddenly opening before her.

Out of pure instinct, House took a step forward. Cuddy watched him, slow motion taking its tall as much as it drew out the past anger in his eyes to let the passion settle in.

He slowly raised his arms to find her waist with his hands roaming and slightly going upwards. His face came inches from hers. His eyes had found hers but his mouth was searching hers. This moment would last until he would dare to stop holding back. The game excites him; he's showing her the way but he's also giving her a way out of it. He's bound to it now. She knows what he needs. As his hands were to reach her neck, he fiercely grabbed the hem of her drenched rain coat and pulled her into a kiss. His head slightly bent down, his lips were playing with her upper one, invading her mouth -enough to be tempted to use his tongue. But he wouldn't, he would tease her as he needs to know.

If Cuddy had been feeling week in the knees for him, House wouldn't have noticed as before he knew it, she had used all her strength to push him back into his apartment. Her mouth still clung to his; she forced her way in, closing the door with a kick of her feet.

* * *

Stunned, House broke the non-invasive kiss and stepped away from her. Her back against his door, he could see something in her eyes. It was either lust or anger. Or both. Either way, he had a feeling he was in trouble.

"You're an ass, you know that?"She breathed heavily, not moving.

House gasped, definitely not aware of what to make of this situation.

"Oh God, why am I supposed to make that move?" she said before rushing back to him, her hands grabbing his face to putt her mouth to his. She angled her mouth to allow her tongue better access in invading his bewildered one. As she started stroking his face, he reached for the small of her back with his hands and started roaming around one of the so-longed-for body parts. Her arms circled his neck, making the display of affection seem more like a hug than a passionate kiss. But the lust was there and none of them could stop it now.

They moved in the direction of his couch and almost stumbled on the floor but Cuddy managed to keep her balance for the both of them. House sat on it and Cuddy straddled him, ready to kiss some more. Both of them never tired of the other's mouth. Taking into account his groin would eventually need some kind of release from his jeans; she felt that as long as she was in control (as much as she was if she were to be honest with herself in this situation) she needed her revenge. She wanted utter and complete surrender. She started to rub herself against him, both of their pieces of clothing making the scene intolerable and the feeling unbearable.

"Cuddy… please…", House tried between kisses.

"Hmm?" she unconsciously asked, moving her mouth from his mouth to his jaw line, his stubble arousing her more.

"Wait-" he tried one more time, fearing the amazing feelings he was experiencing at that moment would end abruptly if he were to say something stupid.

She kept working him up with her mouth kissing the crook of his neck. The gentleness of it sent shivers down his spine. His caresses affected her in a way that was making her want to stop thinking about making him pay and just lose herself in the moment. But she was too stubborn to let him know or let him get away with it. As she started roaming around again, she found his earlobe and started biting on it slightly.

This made him moan which was the signal he needed to stop her. He suddenly grabbed her shoulders and with his right hand followed the pattern from her collarbone, her neck to her jaw line that would lead it back to her face. He gently stroked her flushed cheek and whispered, "Stop thinking." His piercing blue eyes getting the better of her intentions.

"I'm just showing you the way." She grinned.

"And I'm inviting you in. That makes us both big liars." He stated.

She gave him that smile, the one he always thought no man could resist and took his hand away from her cheek. She grabbed his other hand and led them to her rain coat. She entwined her fingers with his which was her way to ask him to unbutton it for her.

"What are you doing?" he questioned. Not because he didn't know what she wanted to do but because he knew exactly what would happen.

The dream echoed in his head, _"Inviting-", she breathed, "You-"her hands were making his unbutton her rain coat, "in." she stated_, he could see her eyes were filled with lust for him.

Only this time, it wouldn't stop.

She kept her hands on his as he slowly unbuttoned the soaked piece of clothing, his eyes never leaving hers.

He helped her take it off as it revealed what was underneath all that jazz all along. A black top and a skirt.

He chuckled which startled her a little. "What?" She said, not sure of what to expect from him.

"I had hoped there would be nothing under it." He replied, with that boyish grin of his.

"Stop talking." She grinned, catching his mouth with hers.

Nothing could stop him now, he unbuttoned everything he could. Her hands left his to go work on his clothes. The dueling of their tongues was matching the rhythm of their undressing process. They came to a halt once House was left in his jeans and Cuddy was left with only her bra and her panties. The rain outside had definitely soaked them under their clothes. Drenched skin against drenched skin, they were physically stuck to each other. Cuddy knew House would start working on the clasp of her bra. House's fascination for her breasts is well-known. It was just a matter of seconds. What surprised her was that House not only moved his hands up from the small of her back to the clasp but he angled his head so that his mouth would be trailing kisses along her shoulder at the same time. As if he would be looking at her in a different light. The awaited moment became as much important to her as it was to House. House slowly removed the black piece of lace. He tilted his head back to meet her eyes again. As her fingers played with his hair, he bent down his head, taking a short look at the naked sight before him, tilted his head back again raising an eyebrow as a sudden laugh escaped from his mouth.

This small erotic and touching event ultimately led to more kissing. She started to unbutton his jeans. House couldn't wait to have his penis freed from the tightness of his pants. Her mouth was taking advantage of him, trailing kisses all the way from his collarbone to his chest. His eyes rolled at the back of his head, the wet kisses she was leaving him hanging with and the sound of a zipper being slowly lowered aroused him to the brink of orgasm. She helped him take off his jeans, her hand ready to work on his boxers' waistband in no time. She started to rub him through his underwear. His erection had been at its peak for a few minutes now and he felt that if she kept going, there wouldn't be much left of it. And he couldn't help but think again the moment he realized she had a full view of his scar. He fiercely pushed her hand away from the sensitive area and she gasped as he helped the both of them rose to their feet.

Everything stopped. She eyed him, not sure of what to do next. _His scar_, she thought. He moved closer to her In order to hide it from her. "Don't look at it" he whispered.

"House… it's not like I haven't seen it before." She said, encircling his neck with her hands.

"No, I know, it's just…just let me do this my way, okay?" he pleaded. He needed to prove himself he could do it the way he wanted to be able to do it.

After all, she would trust the man with her life. She'd trust him all the way. She nodded in agreement and in a matter of seconds, he swept her off her feet, taking a good hold of her in his arms. _Standing up, that's how he wants to take me_, she thought as he took her to the front door. Once her feet hit the floor again, the warmth of his body pressing hers against the coldness of the door brought her senses to a newfound edge. He kissed her with a passion she thought might exhaust him before he could ravage her –the way she hoped he would. He took off his boxers once and for all, his erection now rubbing against her torso. His hands moved from her breasts to her panties, lowering it enough to let it fall to the floor by itself. Erratic movements ensued. His tongue left her mouth to find one of her nipples. She gasped at the wonders his tongue was doing on her flesh. His hands caressed her groin to finally settle on her labia. His thumb circling her clit, slowly making her moan for a faster pace. Her hands were trying to grip whatever they could. He abruptly left her crotch and moved his hands to grab her ass, sweeping her off her feet again. She gasped at the sudden turn of events, her legs instinctively encircling him just above his ass.

His forehead was now resting against her forehead, he was breathing heavily. "House, you don't have to if you can't-", she tried with a slightly concerned but honest look on her face.

"Tell me you want me in." he cut her off, eyes closed but his tone commanding her.

She lifted her hands from his shoulders, "I need –"to the top edge of the door for support, "you in."

He opened his eyes, left to stare at her neck –given her current position. Her back was arched, she was giving him better access but he wanted her to look at him. "Look at me." He asked softly. She complied, feeling a rush of emotion making her body tremble for the man who wouldn't stop jerking people around. In one swift move, he thrust himself into her. She uttered an erratic cry in response. It started off as steady. At first he would slid in and out of her with just the right amount of effort, the pain in his leg obviously not as extreme and challenging as the pleasure he was receiving and wanted to give. Along their moans, they were screaming curse words at the top of their lungs –what was reasonably left of it, due to the heavy breathing going on.

"Oh God...Fuck! House… faster" Cuddy pleaded.

House complied feeling his own orgasm would hit him soon. He accelerated the pace and put his mouth to hers. When what was left of the blood pressure that had been building up inside of her transformed into one big wave of pleasure, she collapsed in his arms and panted in his mouth. A couple of thrusts later, House felt his own orgasm hit him and he was gone. He had to let go of her as he felt a small pain go through his leg. He abruptly collapsed on the floor.

Cuddy rushed to his side. "House, are you alright?" she asked, panicked.

House chuckled, "Yes, sorry."

She gave him a good slap on the chest, "You idiot, you scared the crap out of me!"

He pulled her to him. As she lay on him, she kissed his lips softly. "Now, I'm going to do this my way." She teased with that sexy smile of hers.

"Good God! Are you trying to take advantage of me?" he said, frowning. She furrowed a brow at him, "Just bring me my vicodin before you do." He winked.

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**As much as it's going to feel weird to say it like that, lol, this was my first smut writing time!**


	7. Chapter 6

**I can't believe I'm uploading this fast! I guess the reviews help a lot! Thx, guys. I hope you enjoy that one and as usual hit the purple button. It might not be what you would expect but trust me this is going somewhere. ;)**

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**Chapter 6: Tell me not even Wild Horses could drag me away.**

Cuddy woke up to the sound of music. It took her a few minutes to remember where she was. House's bedroom. She would have hoped… no she wouldn't have. He's House and she knows better than to hope for some morning cuddling. Waking up to the sound of the man's heartbeat, that man you had great sex with the night before, to the feeling of his chest rising up and down. She sighed against the pillow.

Paying more attention to the song, she recognized the tune to be Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones. She got out of bed but couldn't find her clothes. She picked up one of his shirt and put it on –figuring that if the inevitable confrontation had to happen like it did before; she'd better offer him a good sight to look at. She knew how much he liked her body and there wasn't anything sexier than a woman wearing a man's shirt after sex to calm things.

Everybody fears the morning after and to House there was no exception. He had to get out of bed; he wasn't used to being with a woman that wasn't a hooker anymore. Even more so, he wasn't used to the idea of being with this woman. She wasn't just any woman. _No, she's a man!_, he chuckled to himself, the thought reminding him he had to stop reconsidering spreading that rumor every time he had to blackmail her into letting him do a risky procedure. He should just go for it now; maybe he could keep her to himself that way. There's no w way for him to deny he doesn't deserve her. He had tried to be with her once, a long time ago. Just like last night it had been one of the best nights of his life. But no matter how much he needed to have her around, he didn't want to be with her. His jerkiness getting the better of him, he just had to let her go and it was over before it even got a chance to start. But unlike the rest of the women he had been in a serious relationship with to which he had given a chance to fulfill him, to make him happy but failed and had left, Cuddy was still around. She's a _poisoned chalice _(this is the British expression Wilson often uses to describe his friendship with House) –it sounds stupid but it's exactly it. He's grateful to have her around, as his boss, most of the time a friend but it reminds him just as much that he can't let her go. And by having sex with her, he's even more vulnerable to the possibility. Her jackass of a board certified doctor, she can deal with. But if he happens to be her boyfriend at the same time and acts like the ass that he is outside of the safe haven the walls of PPTH provide –guarding their friendship, she can't possibly stay. He'll just drag her away.

Why was he playing that song then? His guitar skills wouldn't be able to make up for the fact that he's afraid. The song doesn't work. He'll just keep her at bay.

_His inability to open up is exiting but it's frustrating__,_ Cuddy thought as her steps followed the music coming from the living room. _Don't try to think, whatever he says. Just… focus on the exciting part._

"Don't you ever sing?" she asked as she saw him seated on his couch.

He kept on playing. She couldn't keep her eyes off him.

"Don't you remember the lyrics?" she added, moving to sit on the chair opposite him.

"I do. I just have a terrible voice." He stated and stopped playing.

She nodded but refused to believe it. He tilted his back to meet her eyes. She was wearing his shirt, her cascading raven hair contrasted with Harmony with it and it was just too beautiful. "Hey." He eventually said.

At the way he was staring at her and the shirt –even though she had made the decision to wear it in the first place, she couldn't help but blush. "Hey." She said back.

"You're going to be pissed." He stated.

"Why?" she asked, cringing.

"It is 10:30 and I didn't make any coffee." He answered simply.

It took her a few seconds to register and then it hit her, "Oh My God! Why didn't you wake me up?" _This discussion wasn't about the inevitable blow up but about her being late for work and given how pissed off she was getting; she might kill him before the inevitable blow up_, she thought.

"I could tell you needed sleep." He shrugged.

_Or not__…_, she thought.

"Don't you have an alarm?" She asked as she started collecting her clothes (spread over the couch, the table, and the floor). House was getting a good view of her ass under the shirt in the process. She found her briefcase and scrunched through it to get her cell. _Fifteen messages!_, she read.

"I do but I tend to set it off a lot. Now you know why I'm always late. Besides, the storm is probably the reason why my alarm didn't work. " He admitted.

_OMG, the storm –the hospital!_ She thought.

She groaned and putting her hands on her temple she added panicked, "I have a board meeting about this year's fundraising in fifteen minutes, I have to call Rachel's babysitter-".

"Hey! It's not my fault you were so desperate to get away from Little Miss Cuddy and find a good lay last night" he retorted, raising his arms above his head as a sign of defense.

"In MY defense, I didn't think you'd _care_ if I needed sleep or not!" she remarked, angry now.

"You overslept. What's the big deal! You're the boss. They'll get over it and so will you." He remarked, standing up from his couch.

"Well, still, you were right, I'm pissed off!" she was being definitive.

"But it's not because you've overslept, isn't it? He asked once he had reached his kitchen.

"NO, It's NOT!" she shouted as she shut the bathroom door.

A few minutes later, she got out of the bathroom fully dressed and rushed out of his apartment.

As he heard the loud bang of his door, he mumbled to himself "Well, that went well."

* * *

Indeed, a pissed off-Lisa Cuddy was driving her car, taking as much short cuts as she could to reach the meeting in time. Listening to the radio, some oldies playing, she was trying to calm herself down. She was annoyed she had overslept, she was angry at herself for not seeing it coming. She wasn't tired but she could sense that with all the trouble she's going to be facing at the hospital for the next two days are going to wear her out. Most of her voice and text messages were about last night's blackout and the consequences the power failure had on the equipment. The Maintenance had the backup generators up and ready which meant nothing severe had happened to the patients already admitted. The storm didn't last long. But from what she was hearing on the radio news it was a strong one. She feared the ER would be a mess. She had no idea.

Arriving at her parking space, she took a few minutes to breathe as she had driven faster than she thought she had. She wouldn't let go of the stirring wheel yet. She had a good five minutes before her assistant would run to her, leaving her tones of paperwork on her desk. The meeting had of course already started but as House had said to her –at least, once, in her whole career, she could be twenty minutes late. She looked at her face in the rear-view mirror. She was a mess; she hadn't had time to put some make-up on. She smiled. Last night had been an amazing night; she had ached in all the right places. She was a good mess, at least physically. Emotionally, she was pissed off. Pissed off because she didn't know where they were now. If last night had been a mistake… or not. The inevitable blowup never came up. She didn't want it.

As she got out of her car, she realized she hadn't called the babysitter yet. She had texted Cuddy to tell her the blackout hadn't been too much trouble for her to take care of Rachel. However, as much as she wanted to listen to Rachel's little squeals, it would have to wait. She had work to do –it was also a good excuse to not think about House.

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Wilson asked House as he caught him taking the elevator.

"I was busy doing Cuddy during the blackout. We did it three times you know?" House answered, adamantly.

"Stop bullshitting me!" Wilson engaged incredulously, stepping in the elevator with his friend.

"Okay, you got me. She wanted to do it a third time but the woman's a tiger in bed –or should I say cougar these days?" House said.

"I've been paging you since this morning, your team paged you, and even Cameron tried! The E.R's a mess because of the storm, they need as many not on-call doctors as they can."

"Sorry, no can do. The boss wore me out." House added, slightly pleased with his ability to easily jerk his best friend around.

"I know, I'm sorry about last night and the fact that she's heard everything I've said but I'm sure you two will work something out. She respects you, she'll be an angel. You, on the other hand, have got to go help us out today. You don't want her to be even more pissed, don't you? Besides you have no case." Wilson tried, knowing he might have caused some sort of mess between them.

"I don't care if she's pissed." House shrugged.

"Sure you do." Wilson whispered. The elevator's door opened and House stepped out of it, heading for his office. Wilson chased after him, blocking his friend's course.

"I'll make your lunch for a week!" Wilson tried.

House thought about it for a second, scratching his stubble with his cane. He shook his head and started limping again.

"Two weeks. And I'll put it on your desk everyday so that if you don't come in, you won't have to worry about me bringing it to your place if you're busy getting drunk, calling your mother or doing a hooker under the shower!" Wilson stated, trying to catch his breath.

"Okay!" House's eyes glistened.

_Cuddy will owe me one__, _Wilson thought.

* * *

"Lisa, we are very happy with the way the situation has been handled last night. The maintenance's success is yet, another evidence of your efficiency. Without the protocol revision request that you made last year, things could have gone bad. I'd say other than Dr. Gregory House's lawsuits, the hospital runs very smoothly." Dr. Michael Stevens, the 65 year old oncologist told Cuddy, holding her hand in his hands. The meeting was done and the rest of the board members were leaving the conference room.

"Thank you, Michael." She replied, sincerely.

"Don't worry he's also very happy about the possible donations we're going to get for the Pediatrics Department." Dr. Serena Cornell remarked and added, "The Prom theme is also a nice touch." The 45 year old woman winked at the older one.

"I'm not as desperate as you are, Serena!" The old man stated. They all laughed.

"You're a very fine man! Dr. Cuddy and I will make sure you and your date are King and Queen of the fundraiser." The head of the Peds said.

"Well, ladies, I'm going back to the ER. As you know, they need a hand." Michael remarked.

"Michael, you were on call last night. You should go home and get some rest. We have plenty of doctors-"Cuddy tried.

"And I have a lot of time on my hands. Really, it's my pleasure." He added, signaling it was his cue to leave with a nod.

"The poor thing, since he has lost his wife, he's been burying himself into work." Serena sighed once the older doctor had left.

"I know. He's such a kind man." Cuddy said.

"Yeah…" Serena added.

"So you're happy about the Prom theme?"Cuddy remarked, trying to light up the mood.

"Are you kidding me? I've been wanting to relive my Prom night ever since Gary Frog-Face sneaked out to go screw with Cindy Grimstone in the back of his piece of trash he used to call a car!" she clarified, almost shouting.

Cuddy chuckled.

"This isn't funny!" Serena said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Seriously? It is!" Cuddy laughed.

"It's not! I have to find a date! And I'm a forty-five year old divorced pediatrician with an ex-husband I still have feelings for and two kids who have more sex than I do. Besides, I don't look as _perfect_ as you do, missy!" Serena added, folding her arms.

Cuddy couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, I'm hotter than the woman who cheated on her husband four times with guys half her age!"

"And who are you going with?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow at the Dean.

"I don't know." She replied, slightly biting her lower lip._ She didn't want to have to think about it... or him_, she coughed.

"Well you've got about two weeks to figure it out!" She paused, "and that worried look on your face right now…Well, THAT is funny!" Serena grinned. Cuddy simply rolled her eyes.

* * *

"House, good you're here." Cameron led House in the direction of the exam beds, "Mrs. Sanders, 52 years old, has multiple-", she added but House had already turned his attention on someone else.

"What's wrong with this one?"He asked Cameron, pointing his cane at the man talking to one of the nurses.

"Aside from the fact that he's hitting on Bobby right now, I'm pretty sure he's fine unlike Mrs. San-", she told House when the man suddenly collapsed on the floor.

"Never mind, he's a winner! I'll take him." House said, moving passed Cameron.

"And what are you going to do, exactly? Play with your ball and pretend you're diagnosing until you get your epiphany?"she paused, "We have a lot of patients that need your atten-" she tried.

"I'll have my peeps run some tests. Nothing can drag me away from a cool case!" House stated and then asked, "Hey Jody-".

"Bobby…" Cameron mumbled under her breath.

"Whatever!" he eyed Cameron. "What was he saying to you?" he asked Bobby, who wore a puzzled look on her face.

* * *

Cuddy was going through maintenance reports when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." she said, not looking up to see who it was. It certainly wouldn't be House as he always lets himself in.

"Hey. How are you doing?" Wilson asked her with that soft tone of his.

"I'm okay. You?" she asked, meeting his eyes.

"I'm feeling better than last night when I left an angry voicemail for you and House to hear, if that's what you're asking." He stated, calmly. Fearing the monster might lavish on him.

"I wasn't. But since you're bringing this up. I don't blame you. House acted like an ass, you had to do what you had to do.", she remarked, remembering the events of the night before. How he had kicked her out before he had asked her back in.

"Have you spoken to him since?" Wilson asked, curious.

"No." she acknowledged. Technically, she wasn't lying.

"You should." He said and added, "I've managed to make him go give a hand in the ER, you know?"

"Good.", she simply said, pretending she was reading her file again.

"But he has also managed to find himself a case the minute he got in." he paused, "It's better than nothing, I suppose." He admitted.

"Hmhm" she nodded, not paying attention.

"Did you sleep with him last night?" he suddenly asked.

"What?" she paused, "No!"

"Okay, okay. It's just you're acting weird. I thought-", Wilson shrugged.

She cut him off, "Wilson, I'm tired and I've got work to do-"

"I get it, I get it. Just… go talk to him. I know he didn't want to hurt you last night, even though he did. Go make up. You know it's not easy for him to make the first move." Wilson cut her off this time.

She smiled and nodded. Once Wilson had left her office she decided to _make_ some time to call Rachel's babysitter. Indeed, Wild Horses couldn't drag her away from Little Miss Cuddy.


	8. Chapter 7

**To glicine:**I agree it seemed quite strange when I started writing the chapter, but I've specifically stated that she knew she could be staying with him for a while –which is why she had asked Rachel's babysitter to (at least you can assume) stay the night at her house. But it doesn't mean she was supposed to. Except the blackout happened and one of the reasons why House came after her during the storm was because it was dangerous. We can only assume the babysitter figured Cuddy would be stuck at House's, ergo the great babysitter couldn't leave the baby. Now if you think that the fact that they had sex just like that was unrealistic, I can't really argue with you. Anything is an excuse to have the two of them jump in bed together but here I think the story gave them enough room to express their need for each other.

Now, it's just a story. Yes, I'm certainly complex-ifying their already complex relationship, lol but I can't help it! ;) Still, I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic. I hear your words and I'll try my best to make sure it doesn't feel as unrealistic in the future.

**Now on to the next chapter! I personally don't think this one is OOC for House or Cuddy, I don't think it's Housian but I wouldn't say OOC. But then again, it's all very subjective, so tell me what you think! And as usual, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Tell me ****how this day will end for us.**

"Differential for Mr. Handsome who fainted in the ER. What can explain this aside from the absurd boner he was getting from spying on Nurse Booby's cleavage? " House said barging in the DDX room.

"What was he doing in the ER? And her name's Bobby!" Thirteen eventually remarked.

"Why? Is she your girlfriend too?" House asked sarcastically, his eyes focused on Foreman.

"Was he hurt?" Kutner cut in.

"They said he has a cracked skull. And apparently he doesn't remember what happened. That's what he was telling the nurse before he collapsed." House shrugged.

"So, technically apart from a cracked skull, there's nothing wrong with him! Unless you saw something before he colla-"Taub tried.

"No, I didn't." House admitted

"Then why would you-?" Thirteen asked, bewildered.

"Because as much as I want Wilson's amazing cooking on my desk everyday for the next two weeks, I couldn't stand the upcoming boredom that me taking care of ER patients would cause." He stated adamantly.

"And this is a good compromise… You pretend the man's case is more severe and you don't have to act nice. Clever." Taub explained.

"This is insane. I'm gonna go tell Cuddy." Foreman interjected, throwing his arms in the air.

"You know, you might have some better things to do, like saving your girlfriend from an incurable illness?" House retorted. Thirteen tried not to show how angry she was at his comment.

"Fine I won't tell Cuddy." Foreman accepted, fearing House wouldn't mind letting Cuddy know about the clinical trials and the madness surrounding it, "'you coming Remy?" he asked Thirteen.

"Yeah." She said, following him outside the DDX room.

"You're an ass." Taub eventually said.

"No, I'm just trying to save my own ass." House clarified. "You guys go do something that doesn't involve nose bleeds in the ER." He paused, "I'm going to the patient's room."

"You never spend time with patients, House." Kutner stated.

"Well, thank God you're here to remind me of that!" House claimed, "Now if you'll excuse I have to go watch TV in his room!"

* * *

House came inside the exam room. On his chart, it said John Doe. House guessed he hadn't told Bonnie…Bobby, whatever her name, who he was.

The patient was waking up. Not so good for his TV plans.

The man opened his eyes and stared at House.

"Why!? Hi to you too!" House said

"Sorry, hi…" The young man said, a smile forming on the corner of his lips.

"What kind of patient are you if you don't say hi to your doctor? The next step would be to ask for my name, my specialization-" House remarked.

"I'm a patient?" The man asked, taking notice of his surroundings.

"Yes-", House paused, "you don't remember what happened." House stated, matter-of-factly.

"I remember being in my car, the storm… complete darkness, a driver flashing one light at me. I remember my car hitting another car." The man started, "As I was stepping out of the car, a man came and punched me in the face. And that's it."

"Well, at least you remember the most important part. You have something called retrograde amnesia. I assume you don't remember how you got to the ER so I'll ask you a few questions and then we'll watch some TV." House said.

"Okay…", the man nodded, slightly dumbfounded.

"What is your name?"House asked, he couldn't believe he was actually intrigued by the patient's story and enough to ask about him.

"Jeremy… Jeremy Cornell. What hospital is this?" the young man asked.

"Princeton-Plainsboro. Cornell… this rings a bell." House answered, furrowing his brows.

"Yeah, my mom, she works here, she's the Pediatrics' Head. Dr. Serena Cornell." He explained.

"Gotcha. Well, can you not tell your mother you're here?"

"Why? Are you doing something bad?"The young man asked, arching a brow at the older one.

"Yeah but trust me, your life isn't in danger. You have my word on that, I'm like this guy everybody calls a genius around here. You're just going to have to report the incident. But I need a favor."

"And why would I help you?" the young man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I know you like Nurse Bobbie and that you'd rather spend more time here trying to seduce her than having your mother around acting like you're four again.", he shrugged.

"Bobbie who?" the man asked, not knowing who the hell he was talking about.

"Right, you don't remember her either. But I can assume you're agreeing to this, right?" House asked.

"You got me with what you said about my mom." The young man smiled. House took the TV remote and sat on the chair next to Jeremy. "However-"

"Oh for Pete's sake", House mumbled, "Shshsh, no talking during my favorite soap!" House hushed him.

"You will have to entertain me." He said and looking at House's cane he added, "So, what's your story… Dr. House, I presume?" House turned his head back to Jeremy with a stunned look on his face, giving away who he was. _Well it seems nobody can shut up about me_, House thought.

* * *

"I don't know if I'm coming home tonight. Again I'm sorry for letting you know on such short notice." Cuddy spoke on the phone.

"No worries, Dr. Cuddy. I understand." Kelly, the babysitter replied.

"I will let you know if there's any change of plans." Cuddy added.

"Thank you, Dr. Cuddy. Hey! Rachel, come on, say bye to mommy. She's totally waving her little hand buh-bye, Dr. Cuddy." The babysitter told her. Cuddy thought she'd heard her little miss squeal.

"Bye-bye sweetheart. Take good care of her, Kelly." Cuddy said, softly.

"Will do! Goodnight Dr. Cuddy." Kelly replied.

"Bye." Cuddy said, hanging up the phone. Now was a good time to see House.

* * *

House couldn't believe himself; it was so easy to chat with this 22 year old college student, majoring in Physics. House had told Jeremy about his college years, Stacy, the infarction, his best buddy Wilson, the fact that he's a jerk (which isn't hard to notice) and about his great ER escape. Jeremy had told him about her mother speaking of the grouchy doctor with a cane and how he was the biggest pain in the ass she had ever seen. And how her boss is only keeping him around because she's secretly infatuated with him.

"So your boss keeps you around because you're this good?" Jeremy asked House.

"Oh yeah, I'm THAT good!" House smirked.

"I meant, medically speaking!" Jeremy retorted.

"So did I!" House protested.

"Do you think she's a good boss?" Jeremy asked, not sure what to make of the doctor's last comment.

"She's a good and miserable boss." House answered, not making eye contact with him.

"She's hot, isn't she?" It sounded more like a fact for Jeremy than a question, at least it did to House's hears.

"Have you ever heard of SCDH?" House asked, his eyes glistening which frightened Jeremy a little.

"SC what?" Jeremy asked.

"Sexual and Clinic Duty harassment. That's what she's constantly doing to me." House claimed.

"I feel your pain, buddy. This must be hard to focus on medicine after that!" Jeremy snorted.

"You tell me!" House smirked.

"So how's the sex with her?" Jeremy asked, believingly.

"I'm not having sex with her." House lied.

"Sorry doc, but I've only known you for a few hours and I can tell you've had sex with her. It's written all over your wrinkles." Jeremy admitted.

House sighed; he wasn't getting out of this. "I had sex with her last night, during the storm." House admitted, a small smile forming on his face.

"Hoho! The jerk is in love! And don't try to deny it, that smile on your face is totally a sign. Dude, you gotta go for it-"Jeremy started but was cut off by the sound of the doors to his room sliding open.

"Well, hello again sir!" Said a young nurse coming in, "Dr. House." She nodded at the obnoxious diagnostician and turned her head back to Jeremy, "How are you feeling, sir?"

House didn't take notice and heard his pager go off. _Cuddy_, he thought.

"Jeremy, this is BOBBIE. Nurse, this is Jeremy. You two love birds have fun because I sure won't." House admitted, limping his way out.

"House!" Jeremy called after him, ungluing his eyes from Bobbie. "Wait! What's going on? SCDH calling?" Jeremy winked.

"By the time I'm done, it'll only be CDH." House said, looking away. Jeremy watched him go.

* * *

Cuddy heard a knock on her door. She was almost done for the day with the reports and figured now wasn't a good time for Wilson or anybody else for that matter to come knocking on her door. All that because she was waiting for House to show up, any minute now.

She sighed and said, "Come in." _The administrator comes first_, she thought.

"You paged me?" she heard an all too familiar voice she had wanted and dreaded all day to hear.

She tilted her head back and saw House's head showing up from behind the door and its closed blinds.

"Yes." She admitted. The tension was awkward and the silence between the minute he had shut the door to go crash on her couch wasn't helping.

After a couple minutes, House broke the silence.

"Anything in particular you want to ask me?"

"Maybe for you to tell me what we're supposed to do now?" she asked, calmly. _Inevitable blowup_, she thought.

"What do you mean?" House kept pushing, wanting to delay the investable confrontation as long as he could.

"You know exactly what I mean and it's easier for you because you have already put your armor back on! I'm not you, House. I have feelings-" She started to yell at him.

"Why are you yelling?" he asked, adamantly.

"You won't let me in. You are NEVER ready for a relationship with me." But she kept going.

House stood up from the couch and said, "Stop yelling, you're going to break your voice." Not looking at her.

"Admit it, you kissed me and had sex with me because you wanted to screw with me one more time!" She walked around to the opposite side of her desk to get closer to him. She wanted to face him, break herself before he could. "The great House thrives on spreading misery because it takes his mind away from his fucking pain." She was searching his face; she saw nothing. Nothing but emptiness guarding his icy-blue eyes. "I can't believe I'm right." She stated, bewildered. "You feel for nothing but yourself…" On the break of tears she started hitting on his chest with her hands.

"Stop it, Cuddy." He finally said, not daring to touch her… or stop her for that matter.

"Cuddy, STOP!" he eventually yelled, catching her arms. His grip on her would prevent her from moving her arms. As he felt the tension in her arms diminish, he let go of his hold on her. He moved forward as if ready to leave her there. Instead he let go of his cane and placed his hands at the back of her head and suddenly pulled her head against his chest. Her entire body now making contact with his, she let her arms roam around his back for a moment until she gripped his shoulders, firmly.

"Cuddy…" He murmured to her hear, "I don't want to hurt you." He admitted. He could hear her sobs. "It's not that I don't want to give you what you want, it's that I can't." His grip on her was intense; she could sense he was struggling to get the words out. "I..I… need you around-"his voice slightly broke, "but being with you… I risk losing you." His hands moved to her neck, "and no, in this context it has nothing to do with the fact that I love my job and clinic duty." He explained his sarcasm back in the game and heard her laugh. He let go of his grip on her but she kept her hold on him. He put a hand on her face. She was so perfect, he didn't want to let go, he couldn't. _What have I done?_, his heart ached. When Cuddy realized the change of expression in his face, she panicked and asked, "House?"

"I...I.." He tried but he was at a loss for words.

"Don't." She warned him. Her eyes commanding his.

"Cuddy-"He tried one last time. Nevertheless, silence settled once more, only the sound of their breathing to fill this strange void. It felt like hell.

"Can you leave my office, now?" She asked, trying to compose herself. "Please?" She begged, not looking at him.

House took a step back. The doctor who always looks down at all he sees, picked up his cane and limped out of her office, looking up to hold back tears he wouldn't allow himself to cry.

* * *

Kelly the babysitter hung up the phone and looked at Rachel, "Guess what! Your mother's coming home tonight." Rachel started cooing.

* * *

** I might be able to update tomorrow! I'm sure you guys are DYING to know what's going to happen, LOL. No, really I completely understand if you don't, hehe. ;)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Tell me you hate yourself.**

Jeremy woke up to darkness with butterflies in his stomach. Indeed, the grouchy doctor had been right, Bobbie was amazing. She had gone home a few hours after her shift had ended and he decided that the earlier he would fall asleep, the less he would miss her. He couldn't wait to get out of this bed or this mess if he was being honest with himself, to ask her out on a date. He took a look at his surroundings; it mustn't have been more than 11PM. His eyes suddenly rested on a darker form lying on the ground. He could make out sneakers and a cane.

"Hey. You're back." The young man remarked.

"You have pretty acute eyesight." House simply stated.

"What happened?" Jeremy asked a slightly concerned tone in his voice.

"Don't want to talk about it." House answered with an impassible tone. The younger man couldn't make out any sort of emotions from the older man's tone. He also couldn't see his face which told his guts, the man really didn't want to talk to him.

"How long have you been here?" the younger man asked, feeling he might be willing to answer this question, at least.

"I've lost track of time." House stated, monotonously.

"Why are you here then? If you don't want to talk about what happened-", the young man tried.

"If I go home now, I will certainly not be able to come in tomorrow." House explained. Jeremy could hear the older man shiver, not much but just enough for him to notice.

"Well, I'm not sharing my bed with you!" Jeremy exclaimed, turning his head away from the devastated sight in front of him. It was his way of offering him to stay. Actually it was his best chance to get him to stay. The man is a drug addict and he didn't want his doctor to OD alone on his floor.

"I'm a responsible adult, I wouldn't do that!" House replied, his heart less heavy, glad he had someone who could understand. The younger man understood the obnoxious doctor was truly being responsible. He smiled and fell asleep.

* * *

Cuddy woke up to the sound of Rachel crying. She looked at her clock which said 7:00AM. Her alarm wasn't supposed to ring until 7:30AM. She sighed and rushed out of her bed and realized she hadn't put her nightgown on. She had slept naked. Last night, she had been too exhausted to think of anything but her baby and House. She came home, spent a couple of minutes holding Rachel, she had taken a shower that definitely lasted more than an hour. She tried to wash away everything he had touched, trying to wash away what had been them for a moment. On the surface, it worked but internally, the warm water wouldn't satisfy her need for emptiness. She spent another few minutes with an almost sleeping Rachel and had eventually crashed on her bed.

After she had put her bathrobe on, Cuddy headed for the nursery, Rachel's cries becoming more insistent. Reaching her destination, she picked up Rachel from the crib.

"Shhh, I know you're hungry." She said, calmly.

Once she had fed her baby, she held on to the joy of her miserable life. At that moment, she promised herself she would do anything in her power to prevent Rachel from ever being miserable.

"I know you can't understand this yet but my life is about your life. I'm yours and you're mine." Cuddy said, "Also, promise me you will never fall in love with an idiot.", Rachel giggled which made Cuddy replace her almost sobs with a smile.

* * *

When Jeremy woke up, he saw that House had left. He hoped the guy at least had some sleep. He sighed but his smile grew when he saw Bobbie coming in with his breakfast.

* * *

When Wilson came in that morning, shock settled on his face when he saw House in his office. The younger doctor checked his watch to check if he hadn't dreamed the hour. No, it clearly said 9:00AM. He wasn't dreaming.

"Hey, how come you're here already?" Wilson barged in his friend's office.

"I have cancer patients waiting to die in the waiting room. Oh wait that's you!" House claimed.

"You're NEVER in this early!" Wilson said, pointing a finger at the obnoxious ass he calls his best friend.

"I didn't have sex with Cuddy last night so my morning hard-on woke me up. I promise you I'll call a new hooker tonight so I can come in late tomorrow morning." House said.

Wilson stared at his friend, bewildered. "Except tonight is Poker night. And tomorrow night is bowling night. I'd say you might come in pretty early for the next few days." Wilson eventually added with a smug look on his face.

"Damnit! I'm pretty tense Wilson so if you truly are my best friend, you'll let me get off tonight." House said with pleading eyes.

"Sorry buddy but it's always gonna be bros before hoes." Wilson grinned and about to leave.

"You mind if I invite someone else to the game, tonight?" House simply asked.

"Wait, are you asking for my permission to invite a randomer? Good God, what happened to you?" Wilson asked, stopping on his tracks, quite dumbfounded.

"Well, yeah! She's not just a poker player, she's also a stripper!" House answered a grin on his face.

Wilson left, pretending he hadn't heard his friend's last comment, "I can hear the Cancer patients screaming already, sorry, gotta go!"

House watched his friend leave. At least his friend's knowledge of the concept of sarcasm would never cease to impress him.

* * *

House was heading towards Jeremy's room when he saw Foreman, Thirteen and Dr. Serena Cornell in front of the room. He was about to go tell Jeremy about his cunning plan to sneak him out of his bedroom to go play some Poker tonight but the look Dr. Children Keeper was giving him, suggested he was in trouble and that there would be no Poker.

"HOUSE! You bastard-", Cornell yelled, raising her hand up in the air.

"Dr. Cornell! You know it's always a pleasure to hear you say that." House said, snorting.

"Don't play dumbass with me. My SON was admitted and you didn't even tell me?", She kept going.

"Mom! Calm down, he's cool." House and Cornell could hear Jeremy say from inside the room.

Trying to compose herself, she added, "Your team told me it was nothing serious which is why I'm not going to do anything and let you be. You should be glad I think so highly of you as a doctor House, otherwise I would certainly be squeezing your gruffly head out by now!", she took a big breath and came inside her son's room to take her remaining anger on him. House could see Jeremy's frightened look.

"Wow, she looks pissed!" House stated, his eyes filled with anger. "So which one of you stupid people told her?" He asked eyeing Foreman.

"I did! I informed Dr. Cuddy of the situation and she told Dr. Cornell." Came a voice from behind which House recognized as Bobbie's.

House turned around to face her, his eyes telling her he was ready to go on a killing spree. It didn't scare the young nurse one bit.

"Jeremy told me about his retrograde amnesia and I convinced him to give me his name." She shrugged.

"In exchange for?" House eyed her suspiciously.

"A date with me." She smiled, playfully.

"Men…" House started, "are idiots." He finished, looking at Jeremy who had to listen to his mother's rant. The young man pursed his lips as he saw the look on House's face.

"Glad we agree on this." He heard a voice coming with an all too familiar clicking of heels.

"Well, thank you for telling the Wicked Witch of the West. Now excuse me while I go run for my life.", he tried to limp passed Nurse Bobbie toward the elevator.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and ran after House and caught up with him just in time to get into the elevator with him.

"Should I stop the elevator now so you can have your evil ways with me?" He started.

"Glad to know you've stopped crying like a baby." She retorted, looking down at the file in her hands.

"Glad you remember the concept of fair banter." He added, not looking at her.

"Jeremy Cornell is going to stay under observation for two to three days and then he'll be discharged. I'm putting you officially off the case you've never been on to start with. And to make up for that time you've spent tormenting a patient, I'm giving you full days of clinic duty for the next week." She explained.

"I didn't torment him!" House claimed, finally meeting her eyes.

"Maybe not, but you did torment her mother who happens to be a DOCTOR at this hospital and additionally a BOARD member." She added.

"Wouldn't it have anything to do with the fact that I've been tormenting you?" He asked

"Trust me, it is best you take this as me doing you a favor. "She chuckled.

"Are you doing me a favor because I've broken your heart? We're both responsible adults, you know? This shouldn't get in the way of our-" he asked, adamantly.

"Whatever helps you not OD at home, House." She clarified, her torn glare leaving his. She didn't think he would do it but a scared part of her hoped he would. In a matter of seconds, the elevator doors opened and she was gone.

* * *

And for a week, House did his hours at the clinic. Maybe not every single one of them but more than she could have hoped for. House hadn't seen Jeremy and spent all his nights with Wilson. He was starting to get over the fact that he could have made a step forward with her. He was glad the awkwardness between them had been replaced with banter. A slightly awkward one but nevertheless it was the real deal. The usual deal.

Cuddy had been doing more hours at the clinic. She needed to practice more medicine. Being an administrator can be quite boring and she needed to feel better, to take away this miserable aspect of her life. It was in fact the easiest miserable aspect of her life she could take care of. _But to get over House… maybe if she tried to date again… but it's not an option, there's Rachel_, she thought.

She barged in exam room one thinking the Clinic's exam rooms (the Clinic which was about to close for the night) wouldn't have anyone in it. She saw a man.

"Wow! I was about to leave, I mean", he scratched his hair; "I've been waiting in here for about an hour." His eyes were scrutinizing her. "I'm glad I've waited now." She arched an eyebrow, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.

"Which doctor told you to wait here?" she asked.

"A tall guy with a cane, not a very nice guy if you ask me." He said.

"Dr. House," she sighed, "he's a complicated man." She paused, "Anyway, what seems to be the problem-", she looked at his chart, "Mr. Brown."

"Dylan, please. My back, it's been hurting me for the past few days. See I was in a car accident during the storm-" he started.

"And you only come to the hospital now?" she arched a brow.

"Well, my car's a mess and-", he tried as she came closer to him to examine him, "God, you're perfect." He simply said.

"Excuse me?" she said, not sure what that comment was about.

"I mean you're beautiful and I'm embarrassing myself right now, sorry." He kept going.

"You don't have to apologize… "she smiled at him. "Now for your back, there doesn't seem be anything wrong with it. You just have a small hematoma, you've been lucky."

"Thank God." He practically jumped. "So do I need meds for the pain or something?"

"Mostly rest but if the pain's too much I can prescribe you some painkillers." She clarified, nodding her head letting her know it was her cue to leave.

"Great, thanks." He simply said. "By the way-"he said as she was about to leave, "Would you like to, you know maybe meet for coffee sometime? Or go to a very fancy restaurant if that's your thing." He tried. The worried and sincerity in his look getting to her somehow. "I mean, not necessarily a date but you know, maybe hang out, if you want." He had trouble getting the words out. _From fear of being turned down_, she thought.

"I'm not really ready for anything right now but taking care of my kid", she started to see if the kid thing would turn this golden boy look alike off, "but if you want, you can leave your cell number on the chart that I'm going to leave on the door."

"Okay." He nodded.

"Goodbye Dylan." She said, exiting the room with a small smile on her face. Not really hating herself for trying to get over the man who kept his patients waiting.

* * *

**Please review and tell me that you want to kill me, lool. ;) (and I know you guys want smut and you'll get it, lol but you're going to have to be a little patient, lol *avoids tomatoes*)**


	10. Chapter 9

**It took me a while to write that one, I guess it didn't come as easy because most of these chapters are fillers but still they're important for the story. And for this one I'm going to say that there's something you REALLY want but it's probably not what you've been expecting and to be honnest, I've wanted to write that _graphic_ chapter for a few days. We can all agree that it's for the greater good. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Tell me about him, not her or them. **

As I've said previously, House's behavior works like Poker tells. He won't say anything but from the way they've been acting around each other for the past few weeks tells me something insanely huge has happened between them. I'm not sure what it is but I think I need to investigate. He's my best friend; I have to know what's going with him. If it has to do with Cuddy then so be it but I've learned from years of experience that it's not my place to interfere with this insane relationship they have. Even though I can never stop myself, I will focus on something more important: my life. Yes, because my story, my life is more important than theirs. I mean, it's me! Wilson! I'm a nice, attractive guy (and younger than House), I can do miracles sometimes too! I mean why wouldn't a woman want to be with me? Oh, right because I'm grieving the love of my life and that I've been divorced more than- Anyway… there's this fundraiser coming up and I think I might be able to score! I just have to find a nice tuxedo and a date. Yep, I'm screwed. And if I'm not careful enough and get massively drunk, I might end up sleeping with Serena Cornell and House would certainly kill me for being an idiot again. He thinks the woman has a bad influence on me because she's the heartbroken maniac type… but who cares, she was an amazing lay two years ago and from what I've heard, she hasn't had sex in a while. Well, HELLO! I haven't either since Amber… I'm pathetic; taking care of House is way easier than having a social life. I'm hopeless.

Wilson heard a knock on his door, "Come in." he said, closing his document.

"Hey, are you busy?" Cuddy asked poking her head from behind the door.

"No, I was just going through a couple of cases." He smiled at her.

"So, who are you taking to the Fundraiser next Friday?" she asked him.

"I've thought about asking Serena but I don't think it's a good idea so I'm probably going to go with House, he's a great date." He goofed.

"I'm sure…" she arched a brow and added, "but why don't you try and ask her, I can tell you she hasn't got one yet." She smiled back at him.

"No, really, I'd rather go alone and try to get House to be my wingman. I might be able to convince him to go." He assured her.

"You know as well as I do that the Prom theme is going to bore him to death, he won't go, unlike last time when there was a Poker game. And even then, he had to go work on a case." She retorted.

"Well, if I didn't agree with you, I would think you don't want him to come." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"To be honest, I'm not sure I want him to. Usually, I don't mind but I have a feeling he might ruin the party.", she wasn't sure why she was telling him that.

"And why would he do that?" he asked her.

"Hello! To annoy me of course!" she said in her best 'duh' tone.

"True." He smiled, sincerely. "What about you? Have you found a hunk-a-burning love to go with you?" he added.

"Maybe, I don't know. I'm supposed to go on a date with Dylan tonight." She answered.

"Dylan who?" Wilson asked.

"Dylan Brown, he's a lawyer. During a consult-", she blushed, "his back was hurting him-" she added.

"Haaa!" Wilson cut in, smirking.

"Get that smug of your face!" she asked, smiling.

"You know, House is right when he says you only play doctor in the bedroom." He couldn't help but say.

She opened her eyes wide, blushing heavily. "Anyway-", she tried to compose herself, "he seems very nice and he doesn't seem to mind that I'm a mother."

"That's great." He nodded.

"Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. I've got to go home and prepare myself!" she smiled, turning back on her heels.

"I'm really happy for you, Lisa." He said, honestly. She nodded as she made her way out.

Wilson opened his document again.

"I'm really happy for you, Lisa! SERIOUSLY?" he heard a voice yell behind the window? Wilson almost screamed at the sudden sound.

"For God's sake, HOUSE! Do you want me to die of a heart attack?" he asked, putting his hand on his chest.

House came inside his friend's office and lay down on his couch. "Nope, just trying to express my concern for your insanely disappointing behavior!" he shrugged.

"Why were you spying on us?"

"No reason." She shrugged off.

"House! There's always a reason. You probably saw her come into my office and wondered if she would be asking me instead of you to Prom –well, the fundraiser." He stated.

"You're the dorky friend, I'm the rebel and this Dylan guy seems to be the popular one now. Women never change!" he said, using his best impersonation of a high school boy.

"OMG! This is High School all over again!" he paused, "House, if you wanted to go with her you should have just simply asked her!"

"Well since I've just dumped her, I don't think that would have been a good idea." House admitted, playing with his cane.

"Well, what? What do you mean?" House asked, eyes and ears wide open.

"It means that I've slept with Cuddy, practically told her we are never meant to be and you're partially the reason why this happened. I've been thinking of ways to kill you for the past week." House admitted, not making eye contact with his friend.

"Wait, I know you need someone to blame your misery on but shouldn't you be at least a little thankful?" Wilson asked, knowing his friend must have created this mess for himself alone.

"Thank you for making me realize I can't trust you to be a friend in a moment like this." House pretended he was crying.

"I didn't know this could set you off!!!" Wilson started to shout, bewildered. "You know if you love her that much why don't you-"Wilson tried.

"I'm not in love with her." House cut him off.

"That's not what I said –which means you are and I'm sorry for you now but that's not the point. Don't you just want her to be happy?" Wilson added.

"I'm going to try to dig some info on that guy." He stated, standing up.

"You mean dirt?" he questioned.

"Let's hope for her happiness' sake that I don't." he added opening the door.

"You just can't let her go, can you?" Wilson asked.

"If I tell you that I can't say yes or no because I don't care, you'll tell me that everybody lies and that I am no exception." House said, leaving this time.

Wilson had this dumbfounded look on his face.

* * *

House broke into Cuddy's office that night; he knew she was on a date with that Dylan guy so there wasn't any chance she'd spot him go through her stuff. Even if she didn't, House didn't care. He never cares. He wasn't jealous; he didn't think Cuddy was serious about that guy. Once he had gathered most of the information he needed to make a few phone calls in the morning, he left her office but made a quick stop when he saw a picture on her bookshelf he had never seen before. A picture of Rachel. A little smile formed on his face. At least Cuddy was serious about her.

* * *

Cuddy and Dylan were saying what seemed to be proper goodbyes on Cuddy's front porch.

"So, this was nice." Dylan tried. "I had a great time."

"Me too." Cuddy nodded and saw the look on his face that screamed "Please don't end the evening now." She sighed and added, "You want to come in for a drink?"

"I'd be really happy to." He smiled.

And they both went inside.

* * *

The next morning, House had made a few phone calls and hadn't found what he definitely looking for. No criminal records, no debt, no nothing! The guy was as clean and sparkly and shiny as Cuddy's do-me pumps. No he wasn't jealous, he just didn't like the idea of Cuddy dating Mr. Perfect. He thought he knew Cuddy better than that. That she liked adventurous males with self-esteem, an ego that could be seen all the way from the stars. Guys that would offer her a conflictual relationship on a plate and not some bed of roses. Indeed, this is what would describe him and not some randomer.

Well, maybe in a way, he was happy she wasn't with some House clone. He wasn't jealous, he wasn't afraid, he wasn't sure he wanted her to be happy though.

He noticed her coming in late that morning. He wanted his curiosity to be satisfied and decided he wanted to know more about her date.

Cuddy was filling out some forms when House barged in her office.

"Hello Cuddles!" House practically shouted, with a joyful tone.

"What do you want, House?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I wanted to know how your date went last night." He shrugged.

"How do you-"She asked, bewildered.

"Wilson told me, duh!" he exclaimed.

"Of course…" she sighed, "this is none of your business, House."

"The well being of my boss IS my business, Cuddy."He arched a brow.

"No, House." She stated, not looking at him.

"What? Did your lover boy hate the little bundle of joy?"He asked.

"No, he really does like her." She challenged him with her eyes to go any further.

"This guy sounds like the perfect daddy figure! I suggest you don't sleep with him though, daddy figures usually disappoint." He snorted, about to leave.

"Actually, his cell's alarm woke me up instead of my own alarm. I think you'll be happy I decided to oversleep a little." She admitted, smirking. House stopped dead on his track and suddenly a tall male form was knocking on Cuddy's door.

"Come in." she said.

"Hey-" The man said and looked at House, offering his hand to shake, "Hello, my name's Dylan-"

"I know who you are." House said, he didn't turn around to face Cuddy. Instead, he sent all his anger toward the new object of Cuddy's affection. "I'm doctor House. You might have heard her scream my name last night, confusing it with yours."

"Wait, what?" Dylan tried, looking at Cuddy. Cuddy was hiding her turning red face with her hands.

"Good luck!" House smirked, leaving Cuddy's office.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Dylan said, once House had left her office.

"He's one of my employees and an ass." She stated.

"And an ex lover?" he asked.

"Not really." She indulged him.

"Well, I don't like him." He stated matter-of-factly.

"I never thought you would." She admitted.

* * *

House had gone back to his office and decided to bury his overworking brain on reading the medical dictionary.

* * *

"So, when can we see each other again?" Dylan asked.

"Friday night, there's this Hospital Fundraiser I'm hosting and I thought you and I could be Prom dates." She smiled at him.

"Prom dates?" he arched a brow at her.

"Yeah, it's the theme of the night. So technically I'm asking you to go to Prom with me." She admitted, biting her lip.

"And what makes you think I will say yes." He asked, moving closer to her.

"I've hired a babysitter for the entire night?" She tried.

"You biting your lip is enough for me but I'd also like to see you before that special event." He admitted and pulled her into a kiss.

* * *

Why he had followed them to his place in the first place that night, he didn't know. His bike was parked on the other side of the road, hiding behind a tree; he could see them making their way to his front door. They were handing hands and kissing. His mouth was all over hers, his hands grabbing her ass. They came inside the house and he couldn't see them anymore. He moved closer and saw an opened window. That's exhibitionism, he thought. And then he saw her, right there, her back pressed against one of the walls of the living room. Her chest pressed against his. They were undressing each other, faster he thought possible for two human beings. He was caressing every inches of her skin. He saw him hike up her skirt and removing her panties. He heard the sound of a zipper and in a matter of seconds, her legs were circling the small of his back and he took her. His thrusts making her squirm and moan so loud he though his head was about to explode. She was pulsating, his moves getting quicker by the second. She was looking at him now, her blue eyes daring him to stop what was happening, "don't do this", he could hear him say. She smirked and with eyes wide open, exposing all of her lust, she cried:"Dylan!"

He had snapped out. He took in his surroundings, it wasn't night, it was daylight and he was in his office, his medical dictionary still open. Sweating from the horrific dream and realization hitting him a moment after his abrupt wake up, he was now fiercely jealous. Enough to go on a killing spree.

* * *

Dying? No Dying? Tomatoes? I know I'm dying to know what you think, hehe. ;)


	11. Chapter 10

**One very long chapter! ENJOY! xD**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Tell me there's a reason.**

The day of the fundraiser, Cuddy was worried. She was worried because House had been taking a leave of absence for the past two days. Wilson had tried to go see House but he wouldn't answer the door. However, she hadn't gone to his place. It wasn't her place to be, physically and emotionally. She was only at the dawn of a new relationship and she just couldn't screw it up yet. Great at work, lousy at life is a statement that comes to mind. Her sense of belonging to House should stop at the first affirmation. She needs to work on her personal life. But as much as House is related to her professional life, she knows he's an entire part of her personal life. It makes her miserable. Although, probably not as much as he must be right now, which of course worried her. In a way, she hoped he would show up tonight just to let her know he's fine with everything. She thought they were back to normal; she wasn't sure now that he had suddenly disappeared from her everyday life. Her phone started to ring.

"House?" she asked, out of instinct, possibly fear.

"_No… It's Dylan, remember? Good looking, he has brought you lunch for the past two weeks?_" he said, chuckling.

"Sorry, Dylan. I just thought-" she tried, pursing her lip.

"_You thought you would be hearing from your employee by now I get it, the guy's a an ass but a genius and you need him at the hospital._", he sighed and added, "_I take it he still hasn't called the hospital back._"

"Yep." She admitted.

" _Well, you know he'll be back, otherwise he knows you'll have to fire him._" He stated.

"It's more complicated than that." She added.

" _It shouldn't be. Anyway, I'll come and pick you up at seven tonight. Tonight is going to be amazing._" He remarked.

"Yeah…" she said with small smile forming on her lips.

"_You better look good, I want you as my Queen when I try to become the King of Prom!_" he said, teasing her.

"I'll try my best." She smirked.

* * *

Wilson was in his office, trying not to picture House OD-ing on his kitchen floor. Also, he really didn't want to have to think about tonight. He would be going alone, not even with House. He suddenly heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he said.

"Hey, James." He saw Serena Cornell come inside.

"Hey, Serena. What can I do?" he asked.

"I wanted to know if you had someone to go to Prom… Ergh, I mean the fundraiser with." She asked, biting her lip.

"Actually-" he tried.

"Good, 'cause I didn't want to have to ask you because I've decided it would be best for me to go alone and you know, not have sex with you." She stated.

"I was going to say that I've decided to go alone." He finished.

"Oh! Well it's even better because I'd actually really like it if you and I could go on a non-date. You see, even my son has a date with Nurse Bobbie Clark –they're going to the fundraiser as well tonight, and-"she tried. She looked awfully stressed.

"Whatever your reasons for asking me, I'd be really happy to go on a non-date with you to Prom." He smirked.

"Thanks, James." She smiled at him. "Wait a minute." She paused, "House stood you up, didn't he?"

"I don't think he's going to come, no." he smiled.

"Jeremy can't stop talking about House. He says he's a great guy who just doesn't know what's good for him." She admitted.

"Well, Jeremy sounds like a very smart young man." Wilson remarked.

"He is but you know what I don't like about this whole House connection thing? That House is actually a great influence on him." She admitted.

"I think your kid is a great influence on House. Actually, come to think of it, do you think Jeremy could give House a call and see how he's doing?" she asked.

"You're telling me that you, his best friend, couldn't reach him? And so you're asking my son to do it for you?" she arched a brow at him.

"That's exactly what I'm asking. And you get a non-date with no sex out of it." He smirked.

"James Wilson, are you using me to get to your ass of a friend?" she asked.

"I've just thought about it. And you are a genius for bringing Jeremy up!" he admitted.

"Well, thank you. I'll give him a call." She paused, "And by the way, you and I always have sex at these kinds of events. This is why I came to ask you because I knew you'd chicken out." She grinned.

Wilson looked at her, bewildered.

* * *

Instead of a killing spree, House went for an alcohol spree. As his leg was starting to hurt even more than it had in weeks, he merged his precious vicodin with his dear friend, Jack. House hadn't moved from his couch for three days, the only times he did it was to go to the bathroom and to eat in the kitchen but he had ordered out most of the time. Wilson had tried to force the door once but House hadn't bulged. He had about 30 messages on his answering machine and cell phone. He hoped his answering machine and voicemail would soon be full. That way he wouldn't get to hear anymore voices.

House was watching General Hospital when his phone started to ring. Once again, he wouldn't answer it. He only hoped it wouldn't be Cuddy. He hadn't seen or heard from her in this short lapse of time and he was happy. What he hadn't planned was that this phone call wouldn't be about how he was doing but about what he was going to do to get out of this mess.

_"House, it's Jeremy. Pick up the phone, House. My mom was told by Wilson that you've been a hermit for three days. You idiot, no wait, you're a disgrace to your kind. A genius like you, drowning his misery with his bourbon because he can't figure out what happiness means. I know what you're doing right now, you're thinking what does that idiot want. Well, man, what I want is for you to get your ass moving and join us to the party tonight to go and tell your boss you want her more than you want your fucking cane to walk. If you don't do that, I have no respect for you and I have no desire to-"_

"I'm not even going to ask how you got that number and go straight to the point. How do you know about all that?", House asked, picking up the phone.

"_You don't need words, House. Your words never speak for you. It's all in your eyes-_", Jeremy tried.

"I do have beautiful eyes." House cut him off, smirking –more at his comment than Jeremy's, for the first time in three days.

"_I expect you to come tonight. Dress well and be her prom date._" Jeremy explained.

"She's already accompanied." House sighed.

"_I don't know that guy but I'm sure he's not what she wants._" Jeremy claimed.

"He's got balls. I don't-"House shrugged off.

"_I'm pretty sure, she needs yours. She used to have yours._" He paused, "_Why don't you try to show off for the greater good for once?_" Jeremy asked.

"Are we talking… strip Poker, here?" House asked.

"_We're talking about you making one step forward._" Jeremy said.

"I'm not going to go, Jeremy. I'm not who you think I am." House admitted.

"_House, you're never tired of playing games!_" Jeremy yelled. "_All I'm doing, is reminding you that this one is still on and you won't be able to move to another one if you don't win this one._"

"I will probably end up punching the guy in the face, Jeremy." He paused, "Goodbye, Jer-"House tried.

"_House a guy punched me in the face for no reason. I know how to recognize a good guy from a bad guy when I meet one. I know you would never punch someone if you didn't have a reason. What do you know?_" He paused, "_Maybe this guy is a bad guy. Would you want that for Cuddy? Hell, even I hate the guy for stealing your girl!"_

"Have you got your memory back?" House asked, trying to change the subject.

"_You better show up, House._" Jeremy finished, hanging up on House.

House took a good look at what he was wearing and sighed.

* * *

The entire hall of the Hospital as well as the Clinic had been decorated for the event. "PROM OF PPTH" banners along with the filtered illuminated area and the few flashing lights made the whole hospital sparkle. A promising night that would hold one of the best fake Proms ever, which would raise a fairly good amount of money and most likely will get most of the people at the party laid.

Needless to say, Dr. James Wilson was having fun at the moment, playing the game he had played more than twenty years ago only this time with his non-date, Serena Cornell. Indeed a photographer was taking a picture of the couple. A couple of minutes later it was Dr. Michael Stevens, the 65 year old oncologist, who had convinced his daughter to come with him to take part in the 5$ Photos For Charity game. Serena noticed him and left Wilson a few seconds to go to the older man's side and his daughter's to be taken with them. The inevitable picture was taken with a rushed Serena on which only her head could be seen. They all laughed looking at the picture.

Wilson smiled, this was going to be a good night but he also knew Serena would have to go help Cuddy out with the donors since it was her department that needed the more money. Speaking of Cuddy, about a few minutes after the photo incident, it was Cuddy who made her way inside the hospital at the arm of a very smiling Dylan. Wilson saw them directly heading for the party to meet with him, Serena, Michael and his daughter, avoiding the photographer in the process.

"Are you guys trying to avoid Mr. Photographer of Evilness?" Michael asked to the arriving couple.

"No, I just have to plan a little strategy with Serena before the real fun of the party can start. Then, Dylan and I will go and take that picture." Cuddy admitted.

"We really can't miss that since I want her and I to enter the King and Queen of Prom contest." Dylan smirked.

"I haven't agreed to that yet." Cuddy cleared her throat.

"You're just afraid you'll lose to me and Wilson." Serena joked, but not really.

"Yes, you guys are a match made in heaven." Cuddy snorted.

"Anyway-", Serena tried to change the subject, "not that I don't want to spend most of the night telling you how beautiful you look tonight, Lisa or that your boyfriend totally fits in the picture but we have some money to make!" she stated.

"Thank you," Cuddy chuckled and added," and yes, we have to go. If you'll excuse us gentlemen."

Both women left and Dylan immediately asked where the bar was. Wilson followed Michael and Dylan but suddenly felt very much alone without House. This should have been him, Michael and House.

* * *

She looked amazing. Perfection wouldn't suffice to define her standards. No woman in the room could reach and catch his eyes the way she does. He didn't know how much he would show tonight, he just knew he had to show off and be the greatest rebel Princeton Plainsboro High School-for the night would ever came to know. It would be a one shot; he would either get her back or fail on purpose. Indeed, no matter what he chooses to do, happiness can never last and he doesn't believe in a happy ending for his story. Right now, he just hoped he looked slightly less crappy, just to impress her and be the Gregory House he once used to be.

* * *

About half an hour later, Jeremy and Bobbie had joined Cuddy and Dr. Cornell.

"So, ladies, any luck tonight?" Jeremy asked his mother and her friend.

"You mean with the money, right?" Serena asked her son.

"That option is included in my question, yes mother." He replied, smirking at Bobbie.

"Bobbie, if I can give you one advice tonight, it's to not let this man take you to the dance floor. My son may be a great lover in bed but he's the worst dancer you'll ever come across." Serena smiled, in triumph.

"MOM! Come on-"Jeremy tried.

"You mess with me, I mess with you. Now go get your girlfriend a drink before I change my mind about surgery for your –let me remind you, still cracked skull. Just so you can forget even more, even your every wonderful bed moves." Serena cut him off, still annoyed that her own son was having a more pleasant life than she was.

"You know that doesn't make any medical sense at all? You can't have me with empty threats." Jeremy snorted.

"My friend Lisa here can fire your new girlfriend!" Serena added. Bobbie had a look of horror on her face.

"She's joking," Lisa came in, sensing her friend really needed a good lay, She thanked God Wilson was around at that moment before she added, "Bobbie, why don't you stay with Serena and I while Jeremy go get you a drink at the bar."

"What do you want?" Jeremy questioned her with a big smile.

"A dry Martini, thank you." Bobbie said, thanking the Dean of medicine with her eyes in the process.

"I'm sorry." Serena said, watching her son heading for the bar, "I wasn't trying to be mean or get you fired, don't get me wrong, I just hate it that he needs to show off his good life to me like that."

"You have to admit it's a pretty fair payback after the way you've been locking him in his room for the past two weeks." Lisa chuckled.

"Hey, he had visitors! Bobbie knows, she went to check up on him a lot!" Serena admitted, holding her hands in the air in protest.

"I'm sure…" Cuddy snorted.

"Dr. Cuddy, Jeremy and I have just really been talking a lot." Serena and Cuddy had a "Yeah, right" look upon their faces at hearing Bobbie's words. "Seriously! He's been trying to remember about the crash and why that faceless guy would punch him in the face."

"A faceless guy did WHAT?" Serena asked, bewildered.

"By faceless, I think she means he can't remember his face." Cuddy tried to calm her boiling friend down, "and why didn't he tell you this before?" Cuddy asked.

"He had told Dr. House but hadn't reported the incident nor had he told me about it until he was back at his mother's." She sighed and added," It all happened so fast, from you getting House off the case-"

"What the hell was your employee thinking the morning after the storm?!? And more importantly, why didn't you check on him?!" Serena asked her administrator of a friend with almost bloodshot eyes.

"I…-"Cuddy tried, pursing her lips.

"Oh God! You and… How could you- Never mind, I've always known that there was something more than genuine respect. He definitely must be THAT good." Serena said, taking a zip of her punch.

Bobbie was trying not to pay attention to the scene before her eyes. Cuddy's eyes were wide open, "How did you-"She tried.

"Come on, that morning at the board meeting your eyes were glistening light years beyond what they are now that you've started dating that Dylan." Serena added.

"Wow!" Bobbie simply said.

Both Cuddy and Serena turned their faces to look at Bobbie.

"I've heard "Dylan" coming up in the conversation as I was walking back here. Am I interrupting some girl sex talk?" Dylan said, grabbing Cuddy from behind. Cuddy jolted.

"No, we were talking about House!" Serena replied, bluntly.

Cuddy shot her an angry look.

"What has the guy done again to piss you girls off?" Dylan asked, sensually releasing Cuddy from his grip. Cuddy almost thought she would have lacked oxygen soon if he hadn't released her.

"Wow! This is almost too good to be true." Bobbie mumbled under her breath, Serena and Cuddy giving her another look that told her it was time to stop with the amazement and shut it. As Bobbie knew she wouldn't be able to compose herself, she decided it was her cue to leave and join Jeremy back at the bar.

"He just didn't report an act of violence against one of his patient." Cuddy admitted.

"The patient could have done it himself but since House knew the patient was in fact my son, you can understand why I'm pissed off." Serena added.

"If your son needs a lawyer, I'd be happy to help." Dylan offered.

"That would be great. He's here tonight if you want to meet him." Serena said.

"Of course!" Dylan asked Cuddy if it was okay and she nodded. "Let's go see him." Dylan said, kissing Cuddy on the cheek before joining Serena to the bar.

Serena thought she had recognized someone at the bar. But in a matter of seconds, he was gone; the crowd making it impossible for her to follow what she thought was a limping form.

* * *

A couple of minutes earlier, Jeremy had gone to the bar to get Bobbie (and his mother) a reconciliation drink.

"I'd like a dry Martini, please." Jeremy asked the barman.

"Get the young man a scotch."Jeremy heard the man seated at the bar ask the barman. "Put in on James Wilson, W-I-L-S-O-N-"He recognized the familiar voice spell.

"House! You're here!" Jeremy almost hugged House.

"Hey, don't-"House tried in an effort to avoid the possible collision of love.

"Wow! You look quite… handsome, I'm impressed." Jeremy couldn't believe House had traded his usual torn blue jeans and shirt for a black jacket, an ironed shirt and some black jeans.

"Yeah but I couldn't get rid of the stubble. Chicks dig that!" House shrugged.

"Well, she's going to be amazed. Trust me! Even I can't believe you'd try to change for-"Jeremy tried.

"I'm not changing for her. I'm just playing my part in this insane remake of most Prom related movies." House eyed his younger friend.

"I mean physically changing your appearance just to fit with the context of the night. That is a huge step for a man like you." Jeremy smiled.

"Usually I would have gone with a tux, you know." House shrugged.

"Oh." Jeremy sounded disappointed, "I thought you were more adventurous when it came to boring parties."

"You can't judge a book by its cover." House smirked, drinking the last of his scotch.

"Remember, the story can always be interpreted." Jeremy retorted.

House smiled, "You'll make a great Wilson to a man like me someday."

"House, there aren't two like you." Jeremy remarked.

"True." He smirked and when he saw Bobbie coming, he added, "She really does have great boobies!"

"Who-"Jeremy tried.

"Hey!" He heard Bobbie whisper to his ear. Jeremy sighed with a smiley face. Shock appeared on her face as she saw a –very handsome Dr. House, seated at the bar opposite Jeremy. "Dr. House, what a surprise!" she would have even more trouble composing herself, knowing everything she had witnessed now.

"Hey Boobies." House said, simply. Checking out her rack like a true gentleman would.

Bobbie sighed, the man would never change. "If you're nice and offer to call me by my first time till the end of time, I can tell you a secret." She suggested.

House's eyes had her attention, "If it's worth my while, I'll agree to this insane request."

"I would never expect any less from you." She sighed, but she had already made up her mind about telling him anyway and so there was no point in delaying the inevitable telling, "Dr. Cuddy is still very much infatuated with you and it doesn't look like Mr. Dylan Brown can win against you when it comes to bed side manners, if you get my drift." She smiled, triumphantly.

"You know Bobbie… I'll never be able to stop calling you Boobies." House paused as he saw Serena and Dylan coming their way, "Anyway, gotta go!" House said, leaving the bar in a hurry.

"Before your mother comes, let me just say this. I've told her and Dr. Cuddy about the man who has punched you after the accident." She said, putting her hands in hers. The contact made him shiver with excitement more than anything else.

Serena and Dylan arrived at the bar. "Jeremy, this is Dylan Brown, Dr. Cuddy's date, he's an excellent lawyer who thinks he might be able to help you." Serena introduced Jeremy to Dylan.

The two men shook hands but the older one had a look on his face that told Bobbie something was up.

* * *

Wilson was talking to the photographer of the event when he spotted House coming closer to them.

"Hello, my favorite oncologist!" House smirked at the bewildered look his friend had on his face.

"How, why, what-"The younger doctor tried.

"Sorry buddy, I don't have time to explain." House paused and turned to ask the photographer, "Can I take you away from this supermodel of an oncologist for just a minute?" The man nodded his head yes.

* * *

Cuddy was small talking with Dr. Michael Stevens when a pair of arms circled her waist, a head suddenly resting on her shoulder. A small smile formed on her lips.

"Smile for the camera, honey." A voice whispered to her ear. A sudden flash hit her eyes.

What was left of her eyes saw a familiar stubble coming closer to her right cheek and lips settled on it. A quick kiss that sent shivers down her spine. "House!" she almost shouted as he released her from his calm grip.

"Dr. House!" Michael said, "It's nice to see you here." The nice doctor offered his hand to shake.

"See Cuddy? This is a way to welcome a friend!", House smirked, shaking the older doctor's hand.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, slightly angry now.

"I'm the rebel of your dreams!", he kindly stated, matter-of-factly. His eyes never leaving hers.

"You're here to mess with me, right?" she eyed him, daring him to go any further with his plans to ruin everything, like he always had to.

"If this is a synonym for tucking you in then-", House tried, chuckling.

"I need some air." She stated but he gently entwined his fingers with hers and as With Or Without You by U2 started to play, he felt it would be easier to sway than to talk. House didn't take the time to ask her and rushed her to the nearby dance floor.

"What do you think you're doing here, House?" She tried to get away from his tight grip.

"I thought it was obvious Dr. Cuddy. I'm having the first dance with the queen of the night." His eyes were glued to hers. His grip still firm on her, he started to force her into swaying with him. With his intense blue eyes locked on her and only flashing lights to reveal them in the dim light, she let go of her pretence.

A few seconds had passed when she broke the silence, "I was worried, you know?"

He smirked, "You're always worried."

Her nose almost touching his she whispered, "Are you ever going to answer me properly?"

He said nothing and she closed her eyes. "I have someone who answers me properly now and I should be dancing with him instead of you."

"But you're not." He said, his arms holding her as tight as he possibly could.

"Because you've dragged me here!" she said, roaming her hands up his arms. Those arms that had remained hanging moments ago allowed her hands to finally grip his shoulders, "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Just dance with me." Flashes of his pleading eyes taking the better of her, she put her arms around him.

"Do you like what I'm wearing?" House asked.

"You look the same to me." She simply said, smiling. He smiled that rare thankful and genuine smile of his.

She suddenly made eye contact with another pair of eyes she was familiar with. By the bar, Dylan was watching them dance. She inevitably broke the physical contact. Their dance ending effectively.

"Now, I really need some air and you should leave now." She said, leaving the dance floor never looking back.

"Well, that went well." House said, flatly.

"What is going on here?" Came an angry Dylan, followed by Jeremy, Bobbie and Serena.

"Nothing, we were just having fun, taking a picture and having some small talk." Michael said, rushing back to House. He had felt House would need a hand here, in case that Dylan guy would witness the suspicious scene.

"You" Dylan said as his hand landed on House's shoulder and started to grip it firmly, "you don't ruin the party, got it?" he added, his tone as firm as his grip on House.

"Hey, Mr. Brown! Seriously, he hasn't done anything wrong!" Jeremy tried to calm the man down.

"You don't like me, do you?" House chuckled, determined to mock Mr. White-greeted-teeth here in the end.

"I don't like damages. You try to damage things and I'll break something in return." Dylan said, releasing his grip on House.

Silence settled for a few seconds until a mad Jeremy turned Dylan aside to punch him in the face.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Jeremy screamed, his bloodshot eyes doing most of the screaming. Not many people caught the sudden incident.

"Well, the boy knows how I think of you." House said but only looking at Jeremy.

"JEREMY! WHY-"Serena tried.

"He's the one, mom!" Jeremy tried to breathe, "He's the one who punched me that night."

"What made you-" Bobbie tried to ask as she was trying to calm him down by applying a small pressure on his neck.

"What he just said to House, he… he told me the same thing when I asked him if he was alright."He paused, "And this was all about your damn car, you asshole!" Jeremy realized. He wanted to punch the man again but House stopped him.

"Jeremy, stop!" House eyed him, taking his hand in his, "Don't. It's not worth it, and he's not worth it. Go back to the dance floor or the bar." House left his hand to go pat the young man's head. He then looked at Serena, "you all go back and have fun." Reluctantly, they left the pseudo crime scene.

"Is there a doctor around?" House shouted, definitely mocking the doctors around here.

"House, what the hell happened?" Wilson asked, breathless after running from the opposite side of the room. "Who did that to him?" he questioned after seeing the knocked out Dylan on the floor.

"You have super hearing or what?" House asked, amazed at his friend's potential.

"I saw Cuddy rushing outside. I called after her but she was angry and an angry Cuddy is never one to be stopped." Wilson admitted.

"Well I've probably pissed her off but what happened to Dylan here was… well-deserved to say the least. He's the one who has punched Jeremy two weeks ago." House paused. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use my super cane and run after a furious Cuddy."

"Wait, wait-"Wilson tried but it was too late, House was gone.

* * *

Cuddy was outside pacing around when she saw him rushing outside.

"Cuddy-"He tried.

"You can't do that, House! I'm happy with Dylan, something you're obviously not capable of being." Cuddy practically yelled, daring him to move closer to her. "I know what your plan is! You try to get me into your arms so I can forget everything, like that dance! Well it's not going to work here; you stay away from me, House!"

"I can't!" He started to yell as well. "I've had these images of you and him, together. In my head, the two of you having sex. It just makes me want to kill that asshole. Those images of you saying all the things you should be saying to me-"He said.

"And what should I be saying to you, House?" She cut him off, "don't you think you were the one who was supposed to-" She tried.

But he cut her off in return, "I want you." the yelling getting louder.

"You're too late, House! You should have figured this out years ago!" she attempted, shivering from the cold of the night.

"When did you figure it out? Huh?" He started, "When you've started sleeping with a guy that you know isn't right for you but that might bring you what you think you need?"

"Will you stop with that?! I lied, okay?" she paused, "I haven't slept with him yet!" she admitted.

"You haven't?" he asked, his eyes locked on her shivering form.

"NO! The opportunity didn't present itself, Rachel was crying and… ugh! We just need time. And what I do with my life is none of your business anyway!" She shrugged off.

"He's not who you think he is, Cuddy." House tried.

"I like him House, I don't like you. End of story." She lied.

"You like me just a little too much Cuddy." House said, moving closer.

"I like him more." She tried, trying to take one step back but her back soon hit one of the building's walls. Too soon.

"You think that's enough?" He asked, inches from her now.

"That's enough for me to decide what to do. I choose him, House." She stated, her eyes not meeting his.

"No you don't!" He whispered breathless, lowering his mouth to hers in a fast motion. She tried to push him away but failed miserably. As she let go of her pride, he kissed her with all he had. The duel of their tongues reminding them what they would always be and telling them what they could be.

"Get away from her!" They both stopped kissing as they heard Dylan shout.

"Damn it! Wilson was supposed to be taking care of you by now!" House yelled, breaking the contact with Cuddy and turning back to face a very mad Dylan.

"Come here, you crippled piece of shit!" Dylan screamed, ready for a fight.

"Don't call him that!" Cuddy yelled, trying to interfere. But House pushed her out of the way.

"She's with me so get lost!" Dylan kept going, grabbing House's jacket by the collar.

"You get lost." House tried Dylan. It took all of House's energy to remain still as Dylan punched him right in the jaw line. House could hear Cuddy swearing to God in shock. But another punch came and as House fell to the ground, Dylan started to kick on House's bad leg.

"Dylan! Stop it! You're hurting him." She was about to try and stop Dylan from hurting House when House used his cane to hit Dylan in the leg and make him trip. He fell backwards, which made his head hit the ground first.

"House!" Both Cuddy and House heard Wilson shout. "I couldn't find him, I-"Wilson tried but stopped as he saw the sight before him.

"JEREMY, NO!" They heard Serena yell. Jeremy had rushed to House's side.

"You should call the cops." Wilson told Serena.

"Already done." She nodded, on the verge of crying.

As Cuddy helped House getting up, Jeremy had come to a halt. "That son of a bitch, is he?" Jeremy asked.

"He's out, that's all." House said, watching Cuddy nodding her head in agreement as she checked Dylan for a pulse.

A quite stunned Jeremy decided to go seat on the steps at the entrance.

"House, I never would have thought he would-"Cuddy tried, helping him walk back to the entrance.

"Did I forget to mention he's the one who punched Jeremy?" House simply told her.

"Oh my God, House" she whispered, completely dumbfounded.

"Yeah… "He acknowledged, his pain making him frail he added quickly, looking at his colleagues, "Is there a doctor in here? 'Cause I think I need sutures."

* * *

**Well, this is one resolution! I hope you liked it, I know some of you had been speculating and had been right about some things, except for maybe Cuddy not having sex with the guy. Don't forget to send your reviews and critics! I hope you guys liked that chapter.**


	12. Chapter 11

**I really hope you're going to enjoy where I'm going with this story. Thanks for following it so far. I hope you won't be disappointed. Don't worry, this story isn't about to end and that's all I'll be saying. So, tell me what you think. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Tell me time will set you free.**

After taking care of House's needed sutures at the hospital and talking to the police, House asked Cuddy for a ride home, exploiting the fact that he had saved Jeremy and her from someone even more sadistic and evil than her. His comment mostly made her smile. But, as exhaustion was taking the better of her, she felt she would either have to suffer her feelings for House or suffer the headache the night had given her. She chose what would lead to another inevitable confrontation with House.

"I had no idea you and Jeremy had become so close." Cuddy told House in the car.

The radio had made the entire conversation, playing the most romantic songs ever, which was pathetic, really. Some were awful, some were among the bests. Even some she thought she had heard House sing along. But she was more focused on what had happened that night than on the fact that she indeed had to change radio stations. It was in fact, truly, a silent ride home. Cuddy was driving slowly and House was looking out the window.

"He's a younger version of Wilson." House shrugged. "I'm glad we now know who did this to him."

That comment made Cuddy flinch internally, she had gone out with someone that wasn't House, that was good, that seemed like the perfect, kind man any woman would be interested in. Save for the fact that he wasn't and had never been. House is an idiot, a self-centered ass, an obnoxious genius and sometimes a disgrace to mankind's allegedly kindness. But House would never be like that. And yet she was about to choose Dylan, the one person she thought was right was the wrong one. House is the right one but it's just complicated.

"I'm glad I could help." She answered with sadness in her tone.

"You couldn't have known." House added, still not looking at her. That comment on the other hand made her believe things shouldn't have to be this complicated after all but he was also a greedy doctor who needed to feed his ego. She smiled softly.

"But you did." She sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's not my fault that I have to despise mankind. Everybody lies and you know that." He claimed, turning his head to watch her. She was driving, her eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Do you loathe me that much? I know I lie but-"Cuddy tried, knowing she might be able to hit a sensitive spot.

No matter how much he wanted her to look at him this very moment, he knew she wouldn't look into the deep blue of his eyes while he would counter her by using his sarcastic defense mechanism. She wanted words and not another moment where he would allow her to try and decipher him.

"But you're worse than us, regular liars because you never give the right answer-" she paused, "unless it's a patient."

"You mean I never give us the right answer." House remarked, still fascinated by the fact that she could come up with such rhetoric, but a deep and slightly annoying one, and be driving at the same time.

"Not necessarily." She searched her words, "we don't move forward, that's the right answer for us. The right answer for us in the longer run is something you and I can't figure out because you can't change. You wouldn't change for happiness." She stated matter-of-factly, stopping the car. "We've arrived." She said.

"Home sweet home." House said coldly, frozen in his seat from what he had just heard her say.

They both got out of the car and went to the front door of his apartment. He quickly spun around, "I thought you liked that I always look the same to you?" he asked.

"What?" she asked back, although not surprised his perseverance would make a come back.

"You say I wouldn't change for happiness, but you like who I am! You don't want me to change." He stated, his blue eyes never leaving hers.

"What you do is who you are and as much as I hate myself right now for thinking it, I must say it. This is something I love about you. But there are aspects of you that forbid you to be happy." She knew this would make her angry.

"I came to you tonight, didn't I?" He eyed her with fearful eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, House." She asked.

"How am I supposed to look at you, Lisa?" He kept going.

The way he was looking at her startled her. "Like I make you happy." She said, hearing herself whimper softly.

"Just because I can't figure-"He tried, the world was getting even more confusing at that moment.

"If I did, we wouldn't be such a mess." She tried to laugh now and it made him angry.

"But we're a good kind of mess." He tried again. The great Gregory House had nothing better to say because he didn't want to lose her now, not ever.

"I have to raise my daughter and if tonight has taught me anything it's that I can't be in a relationship with anyone, not even the good kind of mess I will forever fall hard for with you." She claimed as snow started to fall on Princeton.

They both looked down at the snowflakes falling upon them. When their eyes finally met again, House broke the silence that had settled, "Don't go." He pleaded.

"I'm going home, House." She said, making one step backwards as if she indeed wanted him to stop her from leaving.

"We could always have sex inside." He said, sarcasm taking the best of him.

"Oh yes, that's exactly what you should have been saying all along." She replied to his sarcasm, trying to light up the mood but failing miserably. All she wanted was for him to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would always be alright between them.

"I can't give you what you want!." House tried one last time.

"It's not about me, House. I've known what I wanted and what I needed all along. It's about you; it's always been about you."

"You're the one who's running away here, Cuddy." He was back to calling her by her last name now, "If you know what you want and what you need", he caught his breath and moved closer to her hoping she would look at him, "why don't you go and grab the chance to have it, huh?" he paused, "it's because you're scared, Cuddy. You're scared of getting involved."

"I'm not-"she tried but was cut off as she tilted her head back to face him his mouth crashed down on hers.

"No, House. I can't be chasing you forever." She broke off the kiss.

"I did most of the chasing tonight, remember?"He practically yelled at her. "You were enjoying yourself with another man. It only took you what, a couple of days before putting me away in the one night stands box again?" He paused, "You say that I can't be honest with myself but you can't either."

"See, this is what's screwed up here. A fucking relationship shouldn't have to be this hard. You say you want me and then you say that you don't. Neither you or I can make things simple here." Cuddy yelled.

"And what is all that yelling supposed to do, huh? Make things simpler?" he asked, still yelling.

"Yes!" She hoped it would trigger something inside of him and indeed make things simpler but he was impassible, except for his eyes. Always those damn eyes.

"No."She retorted, he would be leaving her breathless no matter what.

"So what do we do now?" she finally asked.

"I tell you that when I'm with you I feel better." He paused, "Then you say that it's not enough because I'm still a danger to myself and to everybody else. That 'us' is simply a middle ground from misery to happiness that can't possibly work." Cuddy moved closer to him, grabbing his face with her hands.

"Your leg isn't your life, House-"She tried.

"It is, because it doesn't make things simple!"House let out a small cry. It broke her heart.

"House, I-"Cuddy tried again.

"See, I'm always fooling myself which is why I don't let you in. How can you expect me to be happy when all I see and feel fills me with contempt?"

"What about me?"She asked, trying to save what was left of her way out of this now. It was selfish but it was all she had.

"You, you make me feel better." He paused and moving his face closer to hers, he kissed her, "but this kiss feels bittersweet because I know I won't get this to end well for either of us." He added in between kisses.

"Why would you-"she tried, making him stop kissing her.

"You've said it, Cuddy. I am the reason because it's always been about me." He sighed, pressing his forehead against hers.

"House, you are not thinking clearly. Your mind is overworking; you have stitches all over your face, a bump leg that must be hurting like hell. I think you need sleep." She said, trying to escape his embrace and looking away.

"Oh right, Dr. Cuddy's back. Of course boss, I'm gonna go to bed now and you can go back to mothering your baby and your hospital. And me who thought you wanted to have sex." House played dumb.

"I thought that's what you wanted too." She shrugged off.

"I'm doing you a favor here." He said.

"As your boss, I'm going to do you a big favor here, House." She almost shouted, remaining pretty close to him, "Here's what you should do tomorrow, if you want this, 'us', to work, you should be running straight to the hospital, then to my office and ask me out on a date." She finally smiled.

"Except I can't run." He sighed.

"You've been running after me for years. Asking me out on date shouldn't be this hard." She smiled at him.

"A date," he sighed, looking away. "You'll always outrun me." He added, tilting his head back to look at her again.

"If time will set you free, maybe it will allow you to fly." She smiled with a smile that should give him hope.

"Time." He simply said.

"Time." She repeated after him. She suddenly kissed his cheek and left him at the front door. Each of them with the winter's breeze for sole companion.

Cuddy left with a smile on her face, never looking back at the man without a smile. She couldn't have known he wouldn't come running the next morning and ask her out on a date. She couldn't have known he wouldn't call to let them know he was at least all right after going MIA for two days. She couldn't have known that when she would have to go to his apartment to make sure he was alright, she would see that he was gone. She couldn't have known that she would curl up in a ball and cry on his couch. She couldn't have known that this would be an ultimatum for him and that it just wouldn't work properly. She couldn't have known this dance would end.

The man without a smile seated on his front porch would have never told her. Telling isn't cheating. But telling is admitting you don't care about hurting people. At least, if the man without a smile is gone, the woman won't have to be chasing him forever. That night, House admitted to himself that he loved her but that acceptance needed time. Telling her wouldn't be enough; he would have to do something.

Time. Time is good. Time is good but four years was pretty damn radical.

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**/END OF PART I**


	13. Chapter 12

**TELL ME : PART 2**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Tell me about it!**

'''''

Dear Diary.

Yes, I've stopped writing my entries. I've been bad. But today I got a phone call that tells me it's about time I start writing again. So many things have happened in the last four years. There are things in life you can't really explain. Things that hurt you for a while until you realize maybe there's a reason why it all happened. He did call me. A few times he did and surprisingly it was to ask me about how I was. I was never able to locate him because he didn't want me to find him. I hired a PI for a while until I realized House's ex PI, Lucas, was giving him a hand. It took me a while but I eventually decided to respect that.

He disappeared. For four years, I've only had a couple of phone calls. Did he find another job? Did he go to some far away place like where he could get high everyday? Did he diagnose people? Did he meet someone? Did he get married? Does he have kids now? No, I don't think so but ultimately, these are questions I'm definitely going to ask him. I still believe I'm his best friend. Well, when he did call me, he always had the same attitude towards me. He knows I must want to kill him. The only indication I've had that he's the man I know is the tone of his voice. Each time I had the chance to talk to him, his tone was the same but every time, I could hear something changing.

He never called her. Nobody knew why he had left but she was the last person from our little group who saw him. For six months, none of us knew if he was dead or alive.

She never filled his position. He is technically still a doctor at this hospital but the diagnostics department is being handled by Foreman when there's case. But mostly if there's a case! Because without House, they stopped wanting to take any risks. The diagnostics department is gone but it is still there, which is funny when you see it like that. It is not when you know that Cuddy's been hoping he would come back and struggling with the board to keep the department alive and gone at the same time. The office and its walls are there, the budget is practically non-existent, and the team is helping anywhere they can inside PPTH. But the man behind it hasn't been inside these walls in…oh god four years. I still can't believe it.

This reminds me that, Rachel's going to turn four in a couple of days. Cuddy's going to throw her a big party; I might get her a baby sized medical kit. She needs to practice on her ducks. Yes, my obsession hasn't gone away I know. Although, I have a new obsession and it's Serena Cornell. She and I have actually been together since that night at the fundraiser, four years ago. '''''

"FOUR YEARS, DAMNIT!"Wilson yelled and hit his desk in the process, "four damn years." He sighed.

'''''Cameron and Chase got married. The clinical trials on Thirteen are working. There isn't a cure yet but she's still in a relatively good shape. She and Foreman have had some ups and downs, they love each other but they say it's complicated. These two can be funny to watch sometimes. It's like… no, not even close but it does sometimes remind me of… I can't even, this is funny really. I can't even BELIEVE he would have done something like this to her. I don't care about the patients he could have saved or even about me, my friendship with him is something that will last forever but she was the one for him. She cried in my arms telling me she had been ready to give him, literally her heart. To me, it seems like she was giving him a way toward happiness. And since he couldn't –can't and will never change, she was willing to give everything she had to make it work between them.

He never sold his miserable apartment and his furniture is still there. His soul is still here. Every time I've stepped foot in it, to I don't know, clean it, take care of the accumulated dust, I could see him except he wasn't there. I've been torturing myself, I guess. I can only speak for myself here. I've told Cuddy that he had called me a few times over the years. The first time he had called six months after he had gone away, she screamed at me and had eventually fallen in my arms, crying. It had been a relief to know he was alright but it wouldn't lead us anywhere. Just more torture, until she gave up on the idea of ever seeing him again. I know she hasn't given up on him, I know It, everybody knows it because she took care of the board about the department. However that doesn't mean she wants to hear about him. The next phone calls I told her about, she pretended she didn't care and then I decided to stop telling her about the phone calls. This way we didn't have to talk about him. The fact that he was hurting her even though he wasn't around broke my heart. The fact that he left made me ask myself questions about why I was friends with a guy that decided to leave on an impulse like that.

Now that I think about all this, about all this time, the pain and joy that always comes out of every decisions one person make-''''

"You've got a minute?" Chase asked, storming in Wilson's office.

"Sure but couldn't you have knocked?" Wilson asked, almost too startled by this intrusion. Everybody did it but it also reminded him of how House used to do it.

"I could but the surgery I did on Cameron's ER patient revealed something else." Chase paused, "he has a tumor that I can remove but it doesn't explain the heavy internal bleeding he came in for. Hemoptysis doesn't do it for me."

"Aren't Foreman, Hadley, Taub and Kutner helping you guys on the case?" Wilson asked.

"Like every interesting case, it isn't for us but we can always ask for your expertise." He sighed and added, "And Cuddy will get very pissed if we don't save him since we've been lucky enough to diagnose the last interesting patient we've had right."

"With a speech like that, you have me!" Wilson used a small smile.

"He's stable enough to get an MRI, so let's go!" Chase hurried the oncologist.

* * *

Inside the MRI room, Chase and Wilson were checking for what would should be an Hemoptysis.

"There it is. The benign tumor proves Hemoptysis and in my opinion do explain the internal bleeding because-"Wilson paused, "ninety percent of the time it does."

"I agree that it's a neurogenic tumor. But the bleeding was really important. Too important." Chase paused, "what about Schwannoma -"

"A Caucasian dying of a Schwannoma! Seriously?"Thirteen came in, unannounced which caused Wilson to be extremely started again.

"Wow! Seriously, you, all of you have to stop doing that!" Wilson almost yelled.

"What the hell is wrong with you today?" Chase asked. Thirteen looked at the both of them with a questioning look.

"Nothing. I'm just tired, I guess." Wilson shrugged off.

"It has got to be cancer." Chase eyed Wilson.

"I see no indication that it is." Wilson answered, looking one last time pretty closely at the screen. "Besides, Hadley's right. I mean the man isn't even Japanese."

"Since none of us can agree on a diagnosis that explains the heavy bleeding, who's going to go tell Cuddy the patient might die someday, somehow from internal bleeding caused by a benign tumor?" Chase asked, angrier at himself than he was at Wilson for not giving him something he didn't already know.

"I am." Wilson sighed.

"It's just-"Chase tried, defeated.

"I know…" Wilson said, trying to comfort him. He then nodded and left the MRI's computer room to go tell Cuddy the news.

* * *

Cuddy heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said.

"Hey, it's about the Hemoptysis patient."He said, coming in.

"I figure none of you has the answer." Cuddy sighed.

"As Chase asked me to tell you as fast as I could, like ripping a Band-Aid-"he paused, "let me put it this way, just don't get mad."

"Okay." She said. Her tone didn't convince him she'd stick to her current composure.

"The heavy bleeding can't be explained which only leaves us with one diagnose: the internal bleeding is explained by a benign tumor, "Wilson tried.

"So you're saying that since the "heavy" part can't be explained, the patient will surely die of a typical, benign Hemoptysis?" She asked, really making an effort trying not to lose it.

"Yes." Wilson nodded.

"This is insane!" Cuddy rose from her chair.

"We can't explain it, Cuddy. We're just not-"he stopped.

"He gave up his right to be anything. " She said in utter destitution."

"Lisa-"Wilson tried.

"You on the other hand are still among the best doctors I know." She added, trying to self-compose. "I know you can figure something out that might help figure this case out before we send this guy home to his certain death."

It was her way of pleading him to continue working on the case, not very subtle but with Wilson's principles, it worked. She wouldn't blame him if he still failed after that. She would never blame him or the rest of the team. "Okay." He agreed.

"Thank you." She whispered. He gave her one last glance before he left.

* * *

Wilson had spent most of his afternoon with Chase, Cameron, Foreman and the team. Nothing came out of it, even the most incredible ideas made no sense. They all reached to the same conclusion. They didn't know what it was but they were certain they had missed something because nothing ever had to always be mysterious. Otherwise they wouldn't be doctors or this good at their jobs.

They all left except for Wilson who got back to his office around six o'clock to get back to writing his journal.

''''God! Wrong diagnosis usually equals a bad day for Cuddy. It's been like that for four years. However they're not always bad days, they usually bring out the worst defense mechanism in her. I mean, this is going to be a mess. Soon, it'll make us all regret the old days. I have no idea how I'm supposed to-'''''

Wilson's phone started to ring, he picked it up.

"Wilson." He said.

"Hey. I've heard about your case. Check for a mass around the tumor. It's a cystic. I'm surprised Cameron didn't ask him for his Japanese ancestors. But Dr. Cornell knows everything about why everyone suddenly feels less interested in patients!" Wilson heard over the phone.

"How did you?" He tried. "Wait, where are you?"

"Front door."

"Wait, what? But I'm not home-"Wilson tried but he heard the ring tone instead of the friendly voice he was so used to.

* * *

"Mommy!" Rachel said from the living room, "Can I wear Ducky instead of Hello Kitty for bed?"

"I'll get it for you." Cuddy smiled, "Dinner's ready by the way."

"Thanks, mom!" Rachel grinned at her mother. Cuddy was giving her a look that said "Mommy please will not work forever on me, young girl!" Cuddy was in Rachel's bedroom looking for the Ducky PJs Wilson had gotten her daughter three months ago. She didn't want to wear the Hello Kitty one anymore. Suddenly, the door bell was ringing.

"You go get it, sweetheart?" Cuddy asked Rachel, still looking for where she had hid the damn Ducky PJs last time.

Rachel went for the door and opened it. A tall looking kind of scary but not too scary adult was standing there.

"Hey, little one." The person coughed. "Can you got get your mom and tell her-"

"Gotcha!" Cuddy stated seeing the evil piece of clothing. "Rachel? Who is at the door, honey?" she asked from the bedroom.

A running Rachel came to get her mother. "Mom, there's a man outside who says he wants to ask you out on a date."

Cuddy followed after her daughter, "Okay, next time? Remind me not to ask you to open the door for me."

"Okay, mommy." Rachel said, running toward the slightly opened front door.

_If this is Gary again, I'm going to behead him and his flowers. A no once is a no twice!_, she thought as she opened the door.

"Gary, listen-"Cuddy froze as she saw him.

"What no 'yes, I'd love to?" he frowned. "Besides, this is not my-"he tried.

"Greg." She cut him off, not even above a whisper.

"This time, you got it right." He remarked, with a smile.

* * *

'''' (how am I supposed to) tell her he's back. '''''

* * *

** There it is! The first installment of the 2nd Part of the fic. I hope you're DYING to know what's going to happen, heehee or not but either way don't forget to review! Reviews are my chocolate!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Tell me the weight you carry.**

It took her a moment before she could speak again. But eventually, she found words she felt would be poignant to take care of the situation.

"Rachel, I got your Ducky. Go to your room and then we'll eat dinner." Cuddy asked her daughter who was holding her hand. Rachel took a good analyzing look at House and then back to her mother. She was eyeing the very tall man but Rachel nodded anyway –even though she knew her mother wouldn't even notice the nodding.

But she did and as soon as her daughter was out of the door way, House got himself a very unwelcomed slap on the face that he felt could have echoed miles away.

"Ouch!" he said, putting his hand to his jaw line and scratching his stubble in the process. "That hurts. A kiss would have been _welcomier_."He added, calmly.

She wouldn't say anything, instead she was watching him. From all the way up to all the way down. He hadn't changed that much, maybe a few more white hair here and there, he hadn't given up on his shaving routine. _I bet I've used my razor more than he has, _she took the time to think. He still looks the same, he's him. So handsome on the outside and so indescribable on the inside at that moment as he didn't appear to be the self-destruction she feared she would be brought face to face with someday. But someday is today. And he's here, he's House, at her doorstep.

As realization was starting to hit her, House started to speak up once more, "I haven't rendered you speechless a lot in my life but there it's almost deafening!" Hoping his sarcasm would put an end to this hanging in the balance kind of moment.

It didn't seem to be working but he could see that she was processing. He moved closer to the door and to her in the process.

"You must have a lot of questions." He said, looking her straight in the eye.

Putting her hands slightly up in a defensive manner she startled him, "The hell I do!" She cursed, loud enough for him to hear she was definitely paying attention to everything that came out of his mouth.

He stopped himself from moving, even if it meant just an inch. "Okay." He said.

"Okay?! How can you-"she paused, trying to compose herself, "how can you even think I know where to begin with this?!"

"Maybe you'd like to sit down and maybe-"He tried.

"I don't want to listen to what you have to say for your sorry ass!" She got angry,

"What am I supposed to do then?" House asked. The fact that he was being so calm about it made her even angrier.

"You were supposed to –"her voice broke, "were supposed to-"it was now too hard for her to be emotionally detached, "you were not supposed to be gone and you are not supposed to be back."

He could see her eyes were pleading him to go away. Another of those everlasting looks set the mood. Something she hadn't experienced in four years. Something she only used to have with him but she wasn't used to it anymore. He broke the blue eyes against blue eyes contact, nodded his head in understanding and turned around. As he was about to leave, she grabbed his right hand with hers. With him facing the winter wind and her facing the darkness of his coat, from a third party's point of view, the situation would have seemed beautiful but the gesture was in fact a desperate one. Startled to feel his strong pulse in her hand, she realized something was missing but his hand started to grip hers and she felt connected to something that she thought the odds would have beaten any chance she had at ever feeling that connection again by now. She saw him move his head slightly to his right to look down at their hands, matching shape and strength in their respective grip. Sensing it was his cue to leave in peace, he let go of her hand and started to walk out on her. From her point of view, it was like he was walking on air –surprisingly, walking away from her again but she knew her demonstration would be reason enough for him to come back again tomorrow. Or at least she hoped it would. Walking right back to her just like he was walking away that very instant. Nothing in his right hand to feel but the previous feel of her palm and fingers against his. A couple but, non-accentuated, and almost unnoticeable limps. And a missing piece that would have eased the walking. He had no cane.

"Mommy?" Rachel called after her mother, which forced Cuddy to eventually close the door. "Are you okay?" It wasn't everyday that Rachel could see her mother wearing an incredulous look on her face.

"I'm fine, honey." She smiled, trying to reassure her daughter.

"Who was that?" The little girl asked.

"His name is Gregory House." Cuddy admitted.

"Like a house-home?" Rachel asked, dumbfounded at the astounding discovery that a name could also be a noun.

"Yeah-"Cuddy smiled, a sob escaping from her.

"And?" Rachel added, asking for her mother to take her hand in hers.

"He's a doctor." Cuddy told her as she grabbed the demanding little hand.

"You need a doctor, mommy?"The little Cuddy asked, not sure why her doctor of a mother would need a doctor.

"No, honey." Cuddy sighed, "But a lot of people do."

* * *

Wilson went back to the MRI computer room and changed the contrast on the saved imaging he and Chase had taken earlier. Wilson sighed.

"Cuddy isn't going to believe this in the morning." He smiled happily. "There you are cystic."

Wilson went back to his office to pick up his coat and suitcase. When he closed the door, his phone started to ring. For the first time in years he could read House as the incoming caller's ID. He smiled and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." House simply said.

"And what was that thing about Serena by the way?" Wilson asked.

"I've been stalking her blog; she's truly a female version of you." House said.

"Wait, she's got a blog? And I don't know about it?!!" Wilson asked.

"Don't worry; she's not cheating on you." House remarked.

"Gee! Thanks! I feel so much better, right now." Wilson replied, sarcastically. "Where are you now, anyway?"

"I've just got home… and thanks for the bottle of Bourbon." House stated.

"Hey! Wait, we were supposed to have that one together!" Wilson said.

"What are you waiting for then? Get your ass over here." House asked.

"OMG! What if you're disfigured…? I might not recognize you. Seriously, I'm scared now." Wilson added.

"I'll put a bag on my head, and then you can have your ways with me. Let me tell you I will likely fall asleep in this case though." House laughed.

"Hehe." Wilson paused, "Wait a second if you didn't come by my place and if you have just gotten home, which front door were you at earlier?" he asked, intrigued.

House said nothing.

"Oh you didn't-"Wilson tried.

"I'll see you in a bit." House cut him off and hung up.

* * *

House was seated on his couch, massaging his leg a little. He had feared seeing her would bring back the excruciating pain in his leg but it hadn't. Another small victory over himself brought a little smile to his face. When Rachel opened the door for him, he couldn't believe his eyes. She was a little person now and she seemed pretty smart for a girl of her age. Her birthmother gave her some good genes. He took another glass of Wilson's bourbon and thought of Cuddy. She hasn't changed one bit. He noticed that she put on weight a little, all in the right places. No additional wrinkles, she even looked younger somehow. _Right, I've already had too much to drink_, he thought. People grow old, they don't get any younger. But to him, she was the same and he was grateful. Even though he had never asked Wilson about her, he knew everything he needed to know from his sources. She wasn't married, she was a single mother. He hadn't asked about her relationships because it would have put him through hell, knowing his tendency to become jealous. He had so many questions to answer that he didn't know where to start either. The doorbell rang. He would have to acknowledge his best friend's questions first, though.

House went to open the front door and saw Wilson standing there.

"You're not disfigured!" Wilson smiled, his eyes glistening.

"No, I'm not!" House mimicked his friend.

House invited him in and as he closed the door behind them, Wilson startled his friend by hugging him.

"Okay, okay, I know your girlfriend can't provide this sort of very intimate connection but-"House paused as he saw that his friend needed this.

"I'm sorry; it's just that I can't believe this." Wilson said, almost sobbing.

House rolled his eyes.

"I know you're rolling your eyes right now." Wilson smirked.

"Of course, I am! At least Cuddy had the balls to slap me in the face!" House remarked.

"That doesn't surprise me. I will punch you in the face when realization that you've been the greatest jerk that has ever existed for leaving like that hits me." Wilson claimed and started to disentangle himself from his friend.

"My neck is going to kill me." House said, putting a hand to his neck.

"Not as much as this." Wilson retorted, giving his friend a good punch in the face.

"Mother fucker… "House tried, the force of the punch unbalancing him. He put his palm to his face.

"You've deserved it!" Wilson knew House knew that, "I'm going to get you some ice for your face-" Wilson paused, sensing pain in his knuckles, "and for my hand."

They both started chuckling. "I'm going to pour you a glass." House said, going back to his couch.

Wilson came back shortly after with some ice wrapped in a dish towel and sat on the couch next to his friend.

"Thanks." House said.

"So, no more cane for real?" Wilson asked.

"Do you see my baby anywhere?" House questioned.

"And you still have your leg?" Wilson asked.

"Yes and no I don't need plastic surgery."

"You want the scar to be a reminder of pain and suffering and – " Wilson tried to get to the bottom of this.

"Time." House stated, raising his glass to his lips.

"A new beginning?" Wilson asked.

"Something about me has changed. It doesn't mean I've changed." House remarked.

"Are you ever going to tell me where you went and what kind of extreme Physiotherapy and/or treatment you've undergone?"

"Eventually." House acknowledged.

"Good…great." Wilson said.

"It's nice seeing you, Wilson." House admitted.

"It is nice to see you too, buddy." Wilson patted his friend on the shoulder.

For the both of them, it was more than nice. It was a relief.

* * *

Cuddy was trying to sleep in vain. She couldn't stop thinking about him. She wondered if he would show up at her office the next morning and ask her for his job back. Technically, she hadn't filled his position so she could give it to him. She just didn't know if she wanted to. She knew patients, hell her entire hospital needed him.

But he had changed. Is a case of no more bump leg signifying he has changed? She didn't know. She wanted to know but wouldn't know until she would make the decision to get used to him again. If only this was just about the hospital. But it wasn't. He had asked Rachel to tell her he wanted to ask her out on a date. Four damn years later. What kind of an ass would do that? House, she smiled to herself. The first real smile she had since she had seen him. That smile made her want to cry. She needed someone to hold on to. That thought couldn't stop her; she suddenly started to bawl under her sheets.

A tiny little form opened her bedroom door. "Mommy?" she heard Rachel call after her in the darkness of the room.

"Yes, honey." Cuddy sniffed.

"Are you scared the very tall man Mr. House is under your bed?" Rachel asked. Her innocence made Cuddy smile. Rachel was starting to get nightmares and feared there were monsters under her bed. Hearing her mother crying from her bedroom must have triggered some sort of protective attitude in her.

"No, honey. He isn't. "She sniffed some more with a comforting smile. "You want to sleep with mommy, tonight?" she asked her daughter. She knew her by heart after all.

"Yeah!" Rachel came rushing to Cuddy's bed and bounced on it. She put her tiny little self in her mother's arms and under the cover.

"Goodnight, baby." Cuddy told Rachel, kissing her forehead.

"Don't worry mommy, he doesn't scare me." Rachel told her, dozing off shortly after.

"Hehe. I know I have you to hold on to." Cuddy whispered, holding onto her daughter. She soon after followed her daughter into slumber.

* * *

"So are you coming tomorrow?" A slightly tipsy Wilson on his way to leave asked House.

"Of course! I have to tell my ex partners in crime they're idiots!" House smirked.

"You know they're amongst the best doctors in the country, right?" Wilson remarked.

"Yes but they will always need me!" House claimed.

"You want to throw it in their faces that you've solved the case." Wilson stated.

"Yep!" House snorted.

"You think Cuddy will give you your job and department back?" Wilson asked.

"She's needy like that." House claimed.

"Do you have a plan?" Wilson asked.

"I haven't figured out one yet, so I'll go with my guts on this." House shrugged.

"What do you want more now that you're back for good?" Wilson asked.

House said nothing,

"Wait, you're back for good, right?" Wilson asked, concerned now.

"I left for a reason. I'm back but it's all up to her." He said, trying to shrug it all off.

"You're a jerk. If you want my opinion, it's all up to you. And you know that. A little honesty won't kill you, you know." Wilson remarked.

"I want her." House said, looking away.

"When you tell her whatever bullshit you'll come up with tomorrow, do me a favor. Don't look away." Wilson simply said. He waved him bye and left House's apartment.

* * *

**Good stuff coming next! I know the end of this chapter is mostly a filler but I can't reveal everything right away!!! Don't forget to review, your reviews are what's keeping me updating this fast.**


	15. Chapter 14

**I've had to make a lot of research for the rest of the story which is why you're not getting a very long chapter. Also, I'm knackered and it's 5:30 in the morning so please don't mind my mistakes, I just wanted to write and upload this part of the story fast. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Tell me of a past.**

Gregory House had more to tell than he was willing to. It would take him a zillion lifetimes of knowledge he obviously didn't have to explain what happened in such a short amount of time. A short amount of time to acknowledge the answer he had been seeking. Gregory House had always believed in his ability to become one of the best Rubik's Complex adept. And he had become one of the best. Studying diagnostic medicine and human behaviors lead him to become one of the best diagnosticians in the country –if not the best. Solving puzzles was how he could explain his existence. It had also been his way of repressing his existence. Be different just for the sake of not having to care for anything at all. Be anti-social, but also avoid a certain degree of discrimination by being needed. House was needed. House having trouble digesting his childhood as well as his adulthood has always put him through internal hell. A mistake needed to be punished for the young Gregory House. But a sanction is a mistake when there is no law to enforce it to be executed properly. His father was the law and the young House was the mistake, his innocence taking the better of his intentions. Their relationship was a simple lack of understanding. A lack of calculation. House's impulses had always come first; they would lead to a formation of ideas, and generally to an epiphany solving the puzzle. On patients, it has always been easy. He could always prove himself right because he was right. Whether he cared or not it is certain his rationalization influenced his judgment righteously. But judging right doesn't make you happy. Here there was an ultimate goal for House. A goal that is mankind's greatest misery also makes House no different than the rest.

An internal hell that needed to be proven wrong.

An existence that needed to be proven right.

And the bump leg hadn't helped.

Delaying the inner search he had always wanted to undergo.

House found his vocation at the age of fourteen when his father was stationed in Japan. He recalls a burakumin doctor whom he mistook for a janitor; until he watched the Japanese medical staffs consult him when no one else knew how to help a patient, because he was right. House believes his antisocial behavior likewise makes him an "untouchable" who must nevertheless be respected for his skills, not his status or public regard. But it's always been a façade. House had always been scared of becoming something he wasn't. The simple fear of the unknown, but most of all, it was the fear of getting hurt. To say the least, everybody gets hurt. Nevertheless, even the pseudo-untouchable House thought he had achieved to be couldn't avoid pain. If he couldn't avoid it, he had to diminish it. But his abusive vicodin daily dosage would have soon led him to liver failure and he needed more time. He wanted time. Time to open up. And even if he were to die in a car accident the next day, he would remain sarcastic about it and could say that it just wasn't his lucky day.

So four years without his life, without her is nothing compared to the time it allowed him to buy for a brighter future: real to her and happier for him.

This was his line of defense. An honest line of defense. He just didn't know if he would ever have the guts to use it someday… or today.

_The story of an idiot_, House thought shutting down his bike engines.

* * *

At nine o'clock sharp in the morning, House came inside the walls of PPTH for the first time in four years. A couple of nurses and most doctors coming his way recognized him. They couldn't believe their eyes. His helmet in his arm he moved in the direction of the clinic.

"Oh. My. God. You won't believe this." He heard one of the nurse mumble over the phone. "House is back and he doesn't have a cane."

House was grinning as he was already planning on making a few jokes about this.

Inside the clinic, he bumped into Wilson, who had probably been waiting anxiously for him to arrive near the Evil's den.

"She-Devil hasn't arrived yet?" House asked Wilson.

"No." Wilson paused, "Listen House, I don' think this is such a good idea after all-"he tried.

"You're a wuss!" House mocked him.

"Don't you think you need a serious plan? I mean she's not going to go easy on you. Hell I'm practically sure she won't give you your job back." Wilson remarked

"She can't resist my charms; she'll give me my job back or at least clinic duty." House commented.

Suddenly, the familiar clicking of heels started to echo from the hall. He hadn't heard it in four years.

"I've missed this." House said, just above a whisper. Wilson rolled his eyes until he realized the dean of medicine was coming their way. "Oh God! We're screwed."

"So this was about you saving your sorry ass for the fact that I told you not to tell her I was back?" It was House's turn to roll his eyes.

"Good morning Dr. House. You have to make up four years of clinic duty, you'd better start now." Cuddy told him before making her way to her office, noticing him but never locking eyes with him.

House and Wilson stood there completely bewildered.

"What just happened?" Wilson asked, in complete and utter shock.

"God, that was easy!" House said with a winner's tone.

"Not so fast Casanova!" Wilson started, "You have to think about what you're going to say." And processed but it was too late, his friend had already followed his boss to her office.

* * *

Cuddy had shut the blinds, not wanting to be disturbed after the stunt she had pulled. She knew he was an asset to this hospital and she needed him here, she just didn't want to have to talk to him about it. Or talk about other matters as far as she was concerned.

She heard a knock on the door.

"If you don't invite me in, I'll storm in!" House threatened.

Cuddy buried her head in her folded arms.

"No answer?! Step away from the door, I'm coming in!" House shouted from behind the door before barging in her office.

Despite all her efforts to remain calm –her face still entangled in his arms, a smile formed on her lips.

"Oh good, you weren't blocking the way in. I certainly didn't want to hurt your boobs." House grinned.

"What do you want?" She asked, tilting her head back and away from her arms and desk.

"Nice, you're looking at me now!" House said.

"As long as you don't look away, I will." Cuddy challenged him.

"Is this supposed to mean you're in control of the situation?" House asked, knowing he was in for a game that could lead to some verbal exchange.

"I am." She said.

"You are." He acknowledged, only blinking once.

"I can grab your hand even if you're not looking away, House." She knew everything would be related to the night before.

"And you're going to grab my hand to-"He tried to ask.

"To shake it of course." She remarked, getting up from her chair.

"So now that you've lost the constant reminder of evilness that was my leg," he paused, watching her walking in his direction, confident and not appearing disturbed by his words. "you want to mutilate my hand instead and refill your ego?"

She was only inches from him once he was done with his speech. "To welcome you back." She said, offering him her hand.

"You think you still know me. Well you don't." He said, looking down at her hand.

"You're looking away." She sated, searching his face without really realizing what her eyes were doing.

"I'm looking away because you're not asking me anything."He paused, trying to think of a way out of the close proximity that was killing him on the inside, "and until you do, I can't be at peace with myself. And I won't be able to remain being this close to you." He admitted.

"Well, I'm not the one who someday decided to run away to God knows where." She paused, still studying his face for any sign, whatever the meaning she needed to see something there. "You are selfish enough to not care about close proximity."

"Okay, see, that's not fair!" He suddenly tilted his back to meet her gaze. "I want to stop playing games; I want to tell you everything. It is hard, it is long, it is painful but all you care about is your safe bubble." He paused, trying to catch his breath. "You would have hired someone else years ago if you didn't want to have me back to at least satisfy your curiosity." She was startled by his reaction. She was face to face with a talking, raw and honest version of House. She knew he could do that with his eyes but not with his words. He was different. "No Cuddy, you're not shutting me out by doing what you're doing." He kept going, "You're bringing me closer to being the person you thought you were safe with. It makes you an idiot."

Cuddy was now rendered completely speechless.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have clinic duty to do that I still want to avoid like the plague. Don't worry; Dr. House is still Dr. House." He said and added, "Gregory House is still an obnoxious ass but the man with the chronic pain in his leg is no more. And-" he tried.

But she cut him off, "I never thought what I had said that night would make you leave!" shouting.

"I had to, Cuddy!" it was his turn to shout.

"Why?"She asked her first real question.

"To know what it feels like to be happy." He exclaimed without looking away.

"If there's an ocean of questions, tie me to it." She expressed, bewildered.

"I could tie you to my bed but-"he tried, feeling like being sarcastic again.

"I'll take that as a way for you to say I'm one of the reasons why you're back." She smiled slightly, "I don't know if I'll take it as a compliment though."

"You know you want to." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." She said, more serious.

"I know." He admitted.

"We will probably argue a lot more." Cuddy added.

"As long as I get you to say 'Yes House, I will go out on a date with you.' " He remarked.

"I would have said yes four years ago, House." She admitted, "Because four years ago, I wanted to build something with you because I knew you." She paused, "You can't blame me for not being comfortable with this new version of you."

"But you figure this is fair to give me my job and department back?" he asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Why would I say yes?" he frowned.

"Because you love to play games with me and deep down you know you can't stop playing anyway." She made one step back.

"This is blackmail!" He moved one step forward. "And you're bluffing." He eyed her carefully.

"And because you want to be able to hear my questions so you can ask me questions." She made one step forward, back to being only inches from him.

"I fold." He admitted. She had won here.

In an instant, Wilson barged in Cuddy's office and startled two doctors to whom personal space had no meaning.

"Lisa, I'm so sorry for interrupting but I need you to hear what I have to say." Wilson paused, House was on the verge of rolling his eyes and Cuddy saw that. "I know this isn't me acting rational as he's my best friend but I'm pleading you here, you can't fire him!"

"I'm not firing him, I've just hired him." Cuddy said, eyes still locked with House.

"I know you must want to kill him for what he did to all of us and you but we need him at the hospital and I don't want to lose him again!" Wilson stopped. "Wait a minute." Her words started to connect with his brain, "He's hired… for real?"

"Yes he is." Neither House nor Cuddy had broken the eye contact at this point.

"Oh… good… Great!" Wilson claimed and then sighed in relief, "Seriously, it was getting scary from outside. I mean all the yelling-"he tried.

"You could hear us from outside her office?" House asked, breaking the eye contact.

"Well, yeah. You two know how to yell if you ask me." Wilson admitted.

"Ouchy!" House was processing something, probably some sexual and sarcastic comment and Cuddy could see it coming a mile away.

"Now, you two get out of my office. I have work to do and you, House, have clinic duty." She said, going back to her desk.

"Wilson, next time I have sex, remind me to do it in her office." He said waggling his eyebrows at Cuddy. Wilson rolled his eyes, opening the door for his friend. Cuddy gave House an angry look but she was smiling on the inside.

She was bluffing; there were times for games and times for honesty and House was willing to fold.

* * *

**Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments you wonderful followers and reviewers. :) I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this chapter. **


	16. Chapter 15

Since has been down for the past 2 days, **you get 2 very big chapters**, lol. Here's the first one, I hope you enjoy it. Also, I'm sorry if some of you think House is getting way more out of character but I'm not going to follow the rest of season 5, maybe with some maybe important stuff that could explain more about the character of House but mainly, the rest of the story will be mine, a little strange sometimes, I guess, since we all know House will likely never end up happy and/or without pain. But I guess we all know what could be if House was ready for change (which he isn't on the show and like I said will probably never be, except if he takes care of his leg once and for all and even that isn't sure.) So anyway, this isn't very interesting, lol but I thought you should no, not to expect the greatest characterization ever but to me House is two extremes, good and bad. So anything can happen. ;) **So keep reading and review! xD**

So, here, I have my ideas and I'm just going to go with them. I've done a lot of research on some diseases as you could see in the previous chapters but I know that most of what (concering symptoms and diagnosis as well as hospital policies aren't too developped) I said isn't exactly true facts, I think they can be but I can't comfirm as I am not a doctor, lol. Obviously, I'm just playing with diseases and learning a lot in the process. So I hope all the cases I include aren't too boring for you guys.

Enjoy the huddy!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Tell me something I don't know.**

Roaming around the halls of PPTH, House sensed his presence was already annoying the hell out of his colleagues and the nurses.

"The cripple is back!" he kept on yelling, which had startled most of the patients on his way out of the clinic.

One of the nurses had tried to give him a file for a patient in exam room one but in his opinion having to do clinic duty wasn't the first thing on his mind.

He decided to go look for Chase and Cameron, he had read about their marriage on Serena Cornell's blog and he couldn't wait to announce his return. Barging in the doctor's lounge, he screamed, "And why wasn't I invited to the wedding? This is a disgrace!"

"Oh. My. God." Chase looked at House, completely stunned.

"House, you're-"Cameron tried.

"Back!" He paused, "Yes, back in black, back to haunt your sex life, back to make your life a living hell." He shrugged, "People seem to love the fact that I'm back."

"I'm not." Chase said, honestly.

"WE are glad that you're okay and back, House." Cameron rectified for Chase.

"I know, it's been so long!" House faked crying, "God, you haven't changed! I thought marrying him would at least make you less sensitive and give you better hair."

"Where is your cane?" Chase asked. "Wait! That's what you've been doing away for four years, you went to physio." He remarked.

"I have shoved it up your ass once and for all." House exaggerated. "Oh! You didn't feel it?" He chuckled. Chase rolled his eyes.

"What about the pain?" Cameron asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Spare me the "you must have changed" look and the "oh please, please Greg, tell me that's it." House said. "I will NOT have sex with you, EVER! You can not do that to Chase!"

"Thanks, man." Chase mocked him.

"Bros before hoes, dude!" House winked at Chase.

Cameron seriously didn't know what to think, he seemed different but he was still the king of bastardogy.

Suddenly, Taub, Kutner, Thirteen and Foreman made an entrance.

"Told you Wilson would solve the case, has he told Cuddy yet?" Taub asked the rest of the team.

"He's about to-"Foreman paused as he saw who was standing before Cameron and Chase, "My God, it's-"he couldn't speak, he was literally without a speech.

"Good morning peeps!" House waved at them.

"What is he doing here?" Thirteen asked, in shock.

"Apparently, he's back." Chase said, now focused on a medical review.

"I'm saddened by the fact that no one called me to tell me you were still alive!" House remarked, his finger pointing at Thirteen.

"Welcome back, House." Kutner said, about to give his former boss a hug.

"You untouchable Indian better not touch me!" House raised his arms up in defense.

"I've missed you so much." Kutner smiled.

"Good Lord! Another idiot who's happy to see me!" House remarked, faking a bewildered look on his face.

"Does this mean you're back as head of the department?" Foreman asked.

"Yeah, sorry blackness personified, you won't get to play the pimp anymore." House explained.

"This is insane, how could Cuddy-"Thirteen tried.

"Cuddy's in love with him. Of course she has hired him back. She never filled his position, remember?" Taub cut her off.

"It sounds so easy with you guys." House remarked again, "Now that you all know who the boss is again, I hope you're going to serve me right."

"I'm not doing this." Thirteen rose her arms up in the air.

"Yes, Thirteen you are."House engaged, "I have four peeps, each and every one of you has to make up for at least one year of clinic duty for my persona. You better start now." He paused, glaring at Thirteen, "You first, lady. Clinic. Go. Now."

Thirteen left the lounge; she didn't want to have to hear any more of this.

"We're not your mignons anymore, House. We haven't been for four years." Foreman came to her defense.

"You go tell Cuddy then." House eyed him.

"My pleasure." Foreman replied.

"But then, I'll go tell her that you've misdiagnosed a case of Huntington on a thirty two year old patient because you didn't want to hurt your girlfriend's feeling at the time. I've heard the patient died two years ago. Does Thirteen know about it? Does she know this is the reason why one day you broke up with her?"

"Enjoy the blood bath; I have surgery in ten minutes." Chase told Cameron and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the doctor's lounge.

"How do you know about that?" Foreman asked House.

"Let's just say that Wilson couldn't keep his mouth shut and I told him not to tell Cuddy." House stated, "I felt I could always use a story like that as blackmail." He shrugged.

"If you don't think I feel guilty for what I've-"Foreman tried.

"I don't care!" House claimed, "All I want is for you to be the good doctor who doesn't willingly misdiagnose a patient to save a tricky relationship and then just give up on making things right for himself."

"Talking about being profound." Kutner stated, bewildered.

"Her insurance would have never covered the clinical trials anyway. And Thirteen wasn't even on the case." Foreman tried to explain.

"You told me you didn't want to have to tell her why you were feeling miserable that day." Cameron cut in.

"We were talking about kids and marriage at the time!" Foreman retorted.

"Well, look at where you guys are now." House mocked him.

"Fuck you, House." Foreman simply said. Even though he knew House had somehow done him a favor by asking Wilson not to tell Cuddy.

"Are we clear then?" House asked.

"Yes, you can go play doctor all you want." Foreman said. It was his turn to leave the lounge.

"I'm sure he's grateful for what you did in a twisted way." Cameron assured him.

"I didn't do it for him, I did it for me!" House remarked, loudly, "Anyway! I knew you guys had been missing me!" House said on his way to leave as well.

Cameron, Taub and Kutner were eyeing him. "Group hug? ... Anyone?"House asked them. "No? Alright then, see you later!" he replied, not closing the door on his way out.

"Is it just me or did he have no cane?" Kutner asked.

* * *

"You paged me?" Wilson asked Cuddy, coming in her office.

"Yeah." She told at him.

"I was about to come and see you anyway. We've confirmed the diagnosis on the Hemoptysis patient." Wilson stated.

"Really?" A smile formed on her face.

"Well, yesterday actually. The patient who we thought was 100% Caucasian had actually lied to us about having Japanese origins which didn't help since it was an extremely rare condition. It's a cystic Schwannoma presenting as massive Hemoptysis and it explains the heavy bleeding."He paused, "Chase is doing the surgery as we speak and the postoperative course should be uneventful. He should be discharged soon." Wilson smiled.

"I'm impressed, really, that you've figured this out. I knew you could-"Cuddy tried to say, thankful.

"I didn't. House did, over the phone he told me."Wilson paused, "actually, he was about to go see you when he told me."

Cuddy froze and not because House had diagnosed the patient. "You KNEW he was coming back. You knew and you didn't tell me!" she got mad.

"I didn't know he was going to see you until after he went to see you." He tried to defend himself.

"But you knew he was coming back and you didn't tell me!" Cuddy approached him dangerously.

"You never wanted to talk about him! You can't blame me for that, Lisa." Wilson retorted.

Cuddy said nothing, he was right. She never wanted to hear about him. "I wanted to tell you, I just didn't know how. But I certainly had no idea he would come and see you first."

"This is insane." She said, putting a hand to her forehead and roaming it around her face.

"But this doesn't change anything. He's here now." Wilson explained.

"You're right." She paused, "He diagnosed him?"

"He did." Wilson nodded.

"He's back?" Cuddy asked.

"I don't think he's about to leave no." Wilson admitted.

"I need some air." She stated.

"Understandable." He said, after all, this was happening too fast for her brain to function properly. It would take her more time than she thought it would.

"By the way!" she exclaimed on her way out, "I need you to pick up Rachel from preschool, they think there is a case of measles. She's vaccinated but they want us to take them home for security measures." She paused, "I couldn't reach the babysitter and I can't take her home now, I still have work to do-"she tried.

"I'll go get her and bring her here. I don't have consults this afternoon; I'll take her up to my office." He nodded his head in agreement, with a smile.

"Thank you." She smiled at him, grateful.

* * *

About an hour later, Rachel was in Wilson's office drawing, happily seated on his big chair. Wilson was seated on his couch, going through reviews.

"Have you met your Uncle House yet, Rachel?" Wilson asked.

"Tall House?" she asked, "He's my uncle like you Uncle James?"

_She must have seen him last night_, he thought. "Well, no, not exactly." Wilson pursed his lips at the idiocy of his comment. It sounded so much cuter to call him that way in his mind than simply referring to him as House. Cuddy would kill him if Rachel started to call House, uncle House. "He's my best friend and he has come back."

"Is he mommy's friend too?" she asked.

"He is and your mother is also his boss, like she is my boss." He explained.

"Oh." She started, "Why did he leave?" she asked.

"For a problem with his leg, I think." Wilson knew there was more to it but that was too complicated for a four year old, even though Rachel was smart. And even he wasn't sure he could understand all of it, if House ever told him.

Rachel was about to say something else when Wilson got paged. Chase was probably done with the surgery. "Listen Rachel, I gotta go check on a patient. Can you stay here by yourself, I'm going to lock the door but you don't go outside even if you hear someone scream. You keep on drawing and be careful not to hurt yourself like last time when you tried to climb on the bookshelf, okay? "He asked, checking that the door leading to the balcony was closed, just in case.

Rachel nodded, "I won't, I only have one Kitty band aid left with me."

Wilson smiled at the child's comment. She really did love her Hello Kitty band aids; they were hers and hers only.

"Okay, I trust you to be good. I'll be back as soon as I can." He said, closing the door behind him.

* * *

House was in the hall when he noticed Nurse Bobby chit chatting with another nurse.

"Hey, Nurse Boobies!" He called after her.

Bobby recognized the voice and cringed internally.

"Dr. Nice! Nice to see you again, it's been a while." She said, turning back to face him.

"Nice rhymes with House… or not but anyway, that was good!" he said.

"Did a kid run away with your cane?" She asked, slightly stunned though when he started walking toward her.

"No, I just decided to get rid of it. The other little Greg has always been enough of a support anyway." He waggled his eyebrows.

"Ugh." She uttered in disgust.

"I wanted to ask you if you still had Jeremy's cell number?" he asked, "I can't ask his mother because, well she hates me."

"Jeremy and I are still together if that's what you're asking." She stated, "Let me look for it."

"I'm seeing your breasts are rounder." He eyed her suspiciously, "You're pregnant." He stated.

"What? No!" she claimed.

"Are you sure?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah… well, I don't-"she tried.

"Go get tested or I'll tell him as soon as I call him." He threatened.

"You wouldn't dare!" She retorted.

"I certainly will!" He grinned.

"We're not ready; I mean I can't… what if-"she tried.

"Trust me; he'll be the happiest dad on the planet." He said.

She wrote down Jeremy's cell number on a piece of paper and handed it to him, "There you go."

"Thank you for your cooperation Nurse Baby!" He shouted for everyone to hear.

She flinched and gave him an angry look.

House couldn't wait to tell Wilson how good it felt to be in control again.

* * *

"Hey Wilson, you'll never guess what happened to-"House stopped as he saw Rachel seated where Wilson should have been seated. "Where's the cancer doctor?" he asked.

"He's not here." She said, not sure who he meant by that and she stopped drawing.

"I can see that, little one!" He stated, coming in. "What are you doing here then?"

"I'm waiting for Uncle James to come back." She said, simply.

"Shouldn't you be at school or at least with Cuddy?" He asked, crashing on Wilson's couch.

"Mommy's working; she's the most important doctor here." The little girl explained, watching House carefully.

"She's not a real doctor." He retorted.

"She is."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is definitely not."

"Is defin-a-natelnatly too!" the little girl tried.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" He asked.

"You're not a stranger." She said, "You're Uncle House."

It took him a few seconds to register that, "Who told you that?"

"Uncle James." She said.

"Well your dear Uncle James is a big big liar." He remarked.

The little girl took her piece of paper with her and moved from behind Wilson's desk to House. She tried to get on the other side of the couch by herself but she had difficulties.

"I never said you could go sit next to me." House said.

"I have something for you." She said. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her by the waste to put her on the other side of the couch.

"What is it?" He asked, his curiosity taking the better of him.

She handed him the drawing. House saw what looked like a giant white cube with four people trapped inside.

"That is mommy." She said putting her finger above a character that had black curly hair. "That is Uncle James" she moved her finger to the character on the right with big brows. "That's me in the middle." She moved her finger from the little character to another character on the far left of the cube. "And here, that's you."

"Why is my leg red?" He asked, not sure what that was supposed to mean and not certain the little girl was smart enough to know about his leg. Hell, she didn't even know him.

"Uncle James said you had to leave because of a problem with your leg." She paused and sat down between his legs, "And a problem means there's blood. And blood is red." Her blue eyes locked on his blue ones.

"The problem is gone, so it shouldn't be red." He said, looking away.

She got off the couch, pouting.

"Not that this office is boring but I have some great toys in my office that I'd like to go check." House said, getting up as well.

"Why?" She asked, tilting her head back to meet House's face.

"Because I haven't seen them in four years." House hadn't gone to his office yet and he also felt Wilson was an idiot for being so irresponsible and leaving the little one alone like this.

"Okay but Uncle James said I couldn't leave." She pouted.

"Well, since I'm supposed to be your Uncle House, you're supposed to do everything I tell you to do." He retorted.

"Okay!" A little smile formed on her face.

"Let's go, he said." But the little girl hadn't moved an inch when he opened the door, "Come on." He said.

She put her arms in front of her as a sign for him to carry her.

"I saw you walk, I don't have to carry you. Besides my leg still has some tiny problems, you know?" He retorted.

"But I'm tired." She said.

"It's not far, it's right next door." He said, annoyed.

He could tell she was about to cry, he didn't want that. Her eyes were pleading and she was on the verge of being a pain. He sighed and went to pick her up. He grabbed her tiny waist again and lifted her up in his arms.

Without any real difficulty he went to his office. Coming inside, he noticed nothing had been moved, except for a few books. Everything was at its original place, even his ball.

"There, you hold it." He told her, giving her the super sized red tennis ball.

"Wow." She said.

"Thank you! At least one Cuddy who likes it." He said, still holding her in his arms, his mind was too focused on his surroundings to let go of her like he had originally intended to.

Meanwhile, coming out of the elevator on the Diagnostics floor, both Wilson and Cuddy were walking in the direction of his office to go check on Rachel.

"Told you Chase would agree he could be discharged soon." Wilson told her.

"I can't believe I'm going to have to thank House this early." She paused, "I sincerely hoped it could have waited at least a week."

"Well, at least, that means no lawsuit for being unable to diagnose him." Wilson paused at his office door, "Which means less paperwork for you to do on Saturday," he pointed a finger at her, "which means you'll be able to enjoy your daughter's birthday fully."

She smiled at him and opened his door, "Hey Rach, your mom's here." He said but saw no sign of Rachel.

"Rachel?" Cuddy reiterated, "Wilson, she's not here." She started to panic.

"I can see that, I told her not to move. Damnit!" he cursed.

She was about to call after her again but outside this time when she heard giggles coming from House's office.

"Hey, little one stop-" House was having a hard time stopping Rachel from kicking his nose with his ball but it was still too funny for her and surprisingly for him to make her stop. He couldn't believe himself.

Rachel kept on giggling. Cuddy arrived and stopped behind House's glass door. She couldn't believe her sight. House was holding her daughter and playing with her.

"I think I'm going to pass out." She told Wilson who had come rushing after her, bewildered as well.

"House!" Wilson decided to intervene.

House suddenly let go of Rachel and put her back on the ground. Cuddy was still failing to bat an eye.

"Mommy!" the little girl rushed to Cuddy.

"Hey, baby." She said picking up her daughter and kissing most of her face. "You got mommy scared for a minute here, you know?" Cuddy smiled.

"Why? I was with Uncle House." The little girl nodded. Cuddy eyed House suspiciously.

"Wilson's idea!" House raised his arms up in defense.

"House, you don't do that!" Wilson acted protective, "you should have told us-"he tried.

"Stop your nonsense, I was one door away." House warned him not to continue in this direction.

"Two!" he retorted, "Couldn't you have stayed in my office?" Wilson asked.

"A better question would be," Cuddy paused, "shouldn't you be in the clinic?" she added, using her evil bossy glare on him.

"NO and NO!" House got angry, "I wanted to see my office and I thought you were being irresponsible for living the little one alone."

"She was MY responsibility, House!" Wilson argued.

"Obviously…"House trailed.

"Mommy?" Rachel called her mother.

"Yes, honey?" She asked back.

"Can I go play in Uncle House's arms again?" Rachel asked.

Now Cuddy really thought she was going to pass out.

"Sorry, I don't have time for that." House said, slightly angry. "I'm not a fucking babysitter."

"House!" Cuddy said and mouthed a 'shut up'.

House's look almost softened as he saw the little look Rachel was giving him. She was sad he didn't want to play with her anymore.

Cuddy put her girl down. As her little feet hit the ground she rushed to House's leg, surprisingly the forever injured one. House didn't have time to move away. He was now stuck with a little version of a human being hugging his leg.

"Tell her to-"House tried but then saw her get something out of her pocket and put her Hello Kitty band aid on his jeans. This act took him aback and he was now faced with the blue of her eyes. Cuddy and Wilson couldn't believe their eyes either.

"Honey, let's go." Cuddy called after Rachel, getting out of her trance.

"We can play with the ball later." She said, letting go of his leg.

Cuddy gave House one last glance before she left. But his eyes were still focused on his leg.

"Wow!" Wilson simply said and added, "I've got work to do but we're definitely going to have to talk about this again!" and turned to leave.

"No, we don't." House came back to life and especially to his senses, "But we can go bowling tonight."

"Sorry, I can't. I'm seeing Serena." He paused, "Tomorrow night!" He said, uninterested in what House would say and then left the room for good this time.

* * *

"There you go." Cuddy placed Rachel on the couch. "Now I'm going to go outside for a few minutes but I'll be right back so you can draw and I can work in peace." She smiled at her daughter.

"Mommy?" Rachel asked before Cuddy could close the door behind her.

"Yes?"

"Can Uncle House bring the big red ball to my birthday?" Rachel asked her mother, giving Cuddy a broad smile and an amazing view of her baby teeth.

"I'll ask him." She said, closing the door behind her. She wasn't simply going to pass out then, she was going to die if she didn't get that smoke right away.

* * *

Right outside the ER entrance, Cuddy was lighting her long awaited cigarette. One of her legs supporting most of her weight as the other one was resting against the wall behind her back, she was now alone. And it was good to be able to relax after such an emotionally induced day.

She couldn't believe her daughter would like such a pain in the ass. But he seems to like her too. The way he was holding her made Cuddy's heart melt. At least that's what it did if she's being honest with herself. She took a puff, held the smoke in her mouth a few seconds until she inhaled it completely and felt the nicotine being absorbed through the inside of her mouth. She was feeling better already. Her anxiety over the situation diminishing with every puff.

"You smoking is… sexy." He said his voice low.

"Everything about me is sexy to you anyway." She replied with a throaty voice.

"This will kill you, but you know that already." He paused, "You're a doctor." He added his voice even lower.

She chuckled, "Says the man who has been a drug addict for years."

He came to rest against the same wall she was, as close to her as he could.

"It took me four years but I eventually stopped." House told her, looking at his feet. She was looking down at her heels but she was giving his hands quick glances. Simply because, she wasn't getting used to the no cane thing.

"Well at least everything ended up well for you." She remarked. "Thanks to you, I've realized I had always been a silent addict to," she paused, taking another puff, "nicotine."

"Is cancer really a better way to end it than liver failure?" House asked.

"Cancer is more common." She retorted, mocking his insistence on facts and statistics, taking another puff. In a swift move, House took her cigarette away from her mouth and threw it to the ground, and smashed it with his foot.

"Hey!" She yelled, tilting her head back to meet his face.

"As sexy as it looks, I'm doing your daughter a favor here." He remarked, not looking at her.

She frowned. "That won't stop me from smoking, you know?" she snarled trying to cut him off.

"She needs her mother to be operational and not preparing herself for a painful death just because she couldn't get her favorite addiction back. " He finished and met her gaze.

"You know my daughter actually wants you and your stupid ball around at her birthday party?" She told him, still dumbfounded at the thought.

"Don't worry." He paused, "I won't go."

"I didn't say you could" She remarked.

"I know what women want." He admitted, confident in his affirmation.

"Everything's about you, isn't it?" She remarked.

"No, everything's about you being a complete idiot." He explained, his eyes daring her to say he isn't right.

"You certainly have that effect on me." She warned him not to go further. He noticed her clenched fists and could tell she was boiling inside.

"That's low, you know?" He claimed, remaining calm.

"No, you are being judgmental on matters that are none of your business. So I am showing you a way out of the mess you're constantly creating. You haven't been around for four years, House, you have nothing to tell me!" She explained, absorbed by his face. Gregory House was like a magnet to her eyes even when he was being a bastard.

"Fine, go fill your lungs with deadly shit all you want, for all I care." House said and suddenly put his hand on the other side of the wall, circling her entire head with his arm. He put his mouth near her ear and whispered, "But I'm a much better addiction. And you know I have experience in the matter." This sent shivers down her spine. It took her a few seconds to realize he was gone. In spite of all her efforts to get him out of her mind, she was still very much hooked.

* * *


	17. Chapter 16

Here's the promised second chapter!

**A few things on this very long one, lol: **I think it's full of surprises, whether they're good or bad, I leave it to you to judge, lol.

If you don't know what burakumin is, I suggest you go look for it on wikipedia (sure it's not the best source of information but for a quick search and especially for a fic, it's enough.) If there are terms you're not sure of, it doesn't matter (except if you want to learn some new stuff like I had to, in order to write this chapter.) as I think everything I've wrote is quite subjective enough already. I'm not pretending I know all about the things in this chapter, I just tried to be as close to reality as possible (while adding some of my imagination and personal thought process) and I seriously hope I did a good job at it. I hope I won't offend anyone with this chapter (bc you never know when you're not a specialist on certain subjects) so if I did, feel free to tell me and I'll correct my mistakes but this is mostly based on imagination so be fair concerning my lack of knowledge on the sensible matter, if there happen to be a few. :)

**Enjoy. :) I hope you guys will again die to know what's going to happen, hehe bc I thrive on that. xD**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Tell me about an addiction.**

There would never be a moment for House to explain what had happened to him. There would be chaos and revelations ensuing. He has only been back in Princeton for a couple of days now and everything seems to be different. There was a time when he could restrain himself from being mean. He used to be a giant obnoxious ass but he could still contain himself. But now, everything had changed. He was more human than ever before. He used to be completely incapable to act like a human being. He has now the ability to use more than looks and small gesture to express what means to him. But Gregory House being more human makes him incapable of containing himself now. He's still an ass but he doesn't think he's a noble one. As much as he can feel better and so act nicer, he could be mean just to be mean as easily and it scares him.

He used to have more confidence. In fact he came back too soon, too close to what he used to dominate and too close to what he used to crave for. Doing what he did was good for him but was it good for his humanity?

That, he won't know unless happiness is fulfilled and the pain in his being goes away for good. Saying that such a thing is possible would be a complete contradiction to the meaning of life. Life is mostly about surviving against yourself and about making the choices you will regret the least if nothing goes as planned.

Has he made the right choice four years ago?

If he can't be addicted to happiness, then no. He will decide he won't have made the right one.

Can he even find happiness? He thinks he can but only if he doesn't screw with his addiction. She is one of a kind and he is one of a kind, but as much as she knows of him he can as easily destroy her now, if not more than before.

The next morning around 11 AM, House was about to enter the hall of PPTH when he spotted Cuddy having another smoke outside. Not hiding, exposing her addiction to nicotine almost proudly.

"Good morning boss." He simply nodded, passing by her.

"House?" She called after him and smashed her cigarette before passing through the sliding doors with him.

"Have you reconsidered?" He kept on walking with her by his side, their respective strides seemed different. House's pace without the cane was slower but she easily adjusted to it.

"Reconsidered what?" She asked, the both of them going in the direction of the elevator.

"Will you go out on a date with me or not?" He asked again, rolling his eyes as he stopped in front of the elevator doors.

"You're not going to let that go, are you?" She asked, bewildered.

"No." He said, his gaze serious.

"Don't use that look on me, House." She stated, "It's not going to make me change my mind."

"You never really answered that question anyway." He shrugged, letting go of his look.

She rolled her eyes, "I have but anyway-"she paused, "I still have no smart enough cases for you so you will do your clinic duty instead of harassing Dr. Hadley to do it for you."

"Will I get wiped if I don't?" He played dumb.

"I'll be in the clinic till noon and if I don't see you there, there will be consequences." She didn't want to fight him on this, it was already exhausting and she wasn't used to this banter anymore.

"Go out on a date with me and I'll do all my hours in the clinic." He said.

"Why do you keep doing that?" She really couldn't take it anymore.

"Trust me; it is not to annoy you!" He remarked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Well you aren't lucky. I'm this close to slapping you in the face again." It took her all her senses not to do it in front of everybody two seconds ago.

"You're an administrator! I could sue you for that!" He remarked.

"And being sexually harassed isn't a reason to sue or fire you?" She retorted, folding her arms against her chest.

"With breasts like that, the harassment really is forced on me!"He remarked, staring atf her breasts.

"Well I consider it to be intentional." She stated, firmly convinced.

"It would really be a first for you." He locked eyes with her, pausing and added, "What people consider is subjective; nothing is ever what it looks like."

"I am a woman, I have visible assets and unlike you, I'm not forcing anything on you except for your hospital duties." She claimed, seeing him get in the elevator.

"And I'm not sexually harassing you, I never have." He said, honestly and she was frowning before the door slid close.

* * *

Resigning herself, Cuddy went back to the clinic and saw Dr. Cornell talking to a nurse.

"Hey Serena." Cuddy called the Peds doctor.

"Lisa, I was just asking about you." She thanked the nurse and joined Cuddy, "I wanted to talk to you but you weren't in your office."

"I'm working in the clinic until noon… but my lab coat is in my office." Serena took that as a sign that she could have a few minutes of privacy with the dean inside her office.

"Great." She smirked and followed Lisa Cuddy to her office.

Inside her office, Cuddy spoke first, "So what's up?"

"You've hired him back." She stated and added, "Wilson told me last night, Lisa-"she tried.

"I know what I'm doing." Cuddy lied, cutting her friend off.

"No, you don't." She almost shouted, "Wilson told me he has changed and I'm sorry but for a man like him it can't be for the better."

"It's only his leg." Cuddy retorted.

"It means more than that and you know it." Serena remarked.

"Oh for God's sake!" Cuddy tried.

"I know you're not the weeping and mourning kind but when he left, you were pretty damn low." Serena kept going, "it's not good for you to be around him again."

"I can protect myself." She said. "Besides, this hospital will always need his expertise, hell, any hospital if they had been able to keep him in line!"

"No Lisa, you need him. I know me, myself, the Pope and this entire hospital, we don't need him." She paused, "except for Wilson but at least he's not our boss."

"And what happens when you people can't figure out what is wrong with a patient? What about the kids you take care of at the kids ward?" Lisa expressed.

"Always rehashing the same speech!" Serena exclaimed, "Of course he's the genius and we're the idiots."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Cuddy warned her to go any further.

"I know," Serena complied. "Listen Lisa, I know you think I'm doing this as the Wicked Witch of the West who despises the handsome obnoxious genius of a doctor but I'm not. Despite what you may think, I don't hate him. I just think you should be careful what you wish for with him." She paused, "And it starts with you putting a stop to what seems to be attractive about the fact that he's different."

"He won't let me ask him questions about what happened!" Cuddy practically yelled.

"Then threaten to fire him if he doesn't!" Serena suggested.

"It doesn't work like that with him." Cuddy remarked.

"Memories haunt you Lisa." Serena paused, searching for her words, "if the change implies more than just his leg, you have to change too."

Cuddy sighed, "He got insanely mad at me for smoking. That was a massive change for me." She went for the coat hanger to pick up her white coat.

"I agree with him on that." Serena smiled, "Changing also means you have to quit smoking." She added, opening the door behind her as Cuddy was putting her lab coat on. She had sensed it was her cue to leave.

"I'm just a game to him." Cuddy sighed, out of the blue.

Startled, Serena felt bad for her friend and boss for maybe going a little too hard on her and said, "But he made you question that a million times before."

Cuddy locked eyes with her friend who was now smiling, "Just don't forget to wear a condom!" She nodded and left. Cuddy smiled at her friend's comment which meant 'be careful'.

* * *

Cuddy left her office for the clinic and went to the nurse's station.

"Hello Hillary."She told the nurse sitting there, "'Patients?"

"Exam room 3, Jenna Preston, eighteen years old. Pregnancy test. She agreed for a complete blood work two days ago." The nurse handed her the chart.

Cuddy sighed looking at the results, "Did they check it a third time?"

"Yes. It's positive." The nursed nodded.

This really wasn't a good day.

Cuddy came inside Exam room 3 and saw a woman that indeed couldn't be more than eighteen years old with brown hair and beautiful green eyes.

"I'm doctor Cuddy; you came in for a pregnancy test two days ago." Cuddy started, there was never any easy way to say this but she had to. The woman nodded, fear probably rendering her speechless.

"As you agreed to a complete blood work, we've tested you for a lot of things." She couldn't go straight to the point.

"So, am I pregnant?" the young woman broke her own silence.

"No." Cuddy said.

"Thank God!" The young woman sighed with relief.

And now on to the hardest part, "But the results tested positive for something else. There is a treatment-" Cuddy tried."

"What?" Jenna cut Cuddy off, "What do I have?"

She didn't know if it was the day, the fact that House had pissed her off again but she had lost all her confidence and she couldn't look at the woman any way but with fearful eyes. She had done it so many times before, she was a professional; this wasn't supposed to be tricky. It's just an answer to a question. Simply because she hadn't deserved that, not now, not ever.

"What do I have?" the younger woman was already holding back tears.

"You're HIV positive." Cuddy stated, feeling her limbs breaking.

"No..No-"The patient's voice broke, "No! It's not, why?" she started screaming.

"Like I said, you can live a long time and science is making progress every day-"Cuddy tried.

"I know what my option is Dr. Cuddy!" The young girl yelled at her, "Live on Tritherapy for the rest of my life, 'be careful not to infect anybody else and then I'll die because my immune system won't be able to fight a simple pathetic disease."

"I'm sorry." Cuddy said, unable to look at the woman in front of her.

The younger woman abruptly spoke with heavy breathing, "How could he?" she tried to catch her breath, "I'm in love with him and it was … the first… time." She put her hand against her face.

Cuddy didn't know what to say, "He will need to go get tested to confirm-"she tried, acting rational to escape the feelings that had been roaming inside of her for the past five minutes.

"I came here for a pregnancy test… I was ready for an abortion." She stated, completely in shock.

Cuddy's heart broke a billion times for her; nobody could do anything for her, not even House. Only scientists, if ever.

"Jenna," Cuddy moved closer to the younger woman, "you can live a long and happy life, most of the people who have AIDS do. There are patients with leukemia," she paused, searching for her words, "people with auto immune diseases who find a way to fight their disease."

"What do you know about that, huh?" The younger woman got insane, "You're in perfect shape, you don't-"

"I know a lot of people who do-"She tried, cutting her off.

But Jenna cut her off as well, "There's a difference between knowing someone who has it and live with it yourself. You can't stop the pain by pretending you know about it. Because you have no idea how the hell I am feeling right now."

"I'm sorry." She couldn't manage to say anything else.

"Don't use that with me. I know what you must be thinking right now." She paused, almost laughing through her sobs, "How stupid could she be to wait till the right… the perfect moment to sleep with a guy she thought was descent enough to not lie to her about having AIDS or at least about getting tested."

Cuddy couldn't say anything but the younger woman couldn't stop letting it all out. "Answers… just a bunch of lies." She stopped. "I HATE him with everything I have in me, I HATE him." She yelled and added, picking up her coat ready to exit the white room, "My mom's right, you only hate what you love and then you just want to die." She slammed the door on her way out.

Cuddy was at loss of thoughts but she opened the door slowly and asked Hillary who came rushing to her, "Exam room 3 is done for the day. No one comes in."

"Dr. Cuddy, do you really think this is such a good idea after last time?" Hillary asked with a knowing look.

"Look me in the eyes Hillary and tell me you think I'm being an idiot." Cuddy dared her to.

"You won't be disturbed." She said, looking away and went back to the station.

Cuddy sighed, came back inside, closed the door behind her and turned out the light in the process. She walked to the window opposite the door and shut the blinds. She walked back to the other side of the room and at the far end of it, crashed down in the corner.

* * *

House had spent his entire day avoiding clinic duty. It was 6 o'clock and it was already pretty dark outside, it also meant his clinic duty shift was over. Knowing that he had probably pissed Cuddy off to the point where she wouldn't even barge in his office to bring him down to the clinic using force, brought a smirk to his face. He had spent most of the afternoon in the Coma patient's room, watching General Hospital. He knew he had to catch up on a lot of stuff. Not being able to watch his favorite soap for the last four years was among the most difficult things he had to do but he had a found himself a substitute: a Japanese soap which wasn't as good but it was better than no soap at all. He also had to catch up on the L Word's last seasons but he figured Wilson must have bought all the DVDs. He had come to the ER to annoy Cameron around 5PM but she was busy restarting a patient's heart. Apparently the idiot had cuther wrists after discovering she had AIDS. Also, the mother had brought her, at least House figured the woman yelling and crying at the same time was her mother. Seriously, who would be stupid enough to attempt suicide with the mother right next door unless the person didn't actually want to die? To try and feel something other than pain? It definitely goes faster than drugs but at least there is no risk of overdose or liver failure. House sighed. It felt good to be back to the real civilization. A place he understood. A place where he could practice his renewed faith in mankind and just do more stupid things. Who knows where stupid things can lead to? House just couldn't be completely rational anymore.

House was obviously a little sad Cuddy hadn't come to him with her angry badass look. That was a very hot sight to witness for House. One massive turn on he couldn't miss before leaving the hospital. He got up from his chair and let his lonesome thinking aside to go pump up Cuddy's hormones. He loved this game but it was the only thing he could come up with to spend time with her. Indeed, House has always been closer to a stupid fool than a smart-ass jerk that thrives on making people miserable.

The clinic was closing when he came in. Nurse Hillary gave him an angry look when he approached the station.

"Dr. House starts at 6-"he started.

"Nice try Dr. House, the clinic is closing." She cut him off.

"And Dr. House leaves at 6!" He grinned, "You make my life so much easier, you know that?"

"I was going to tell Dr. Cuddy you never came." She smiled at him.

"You're such a turn on! For you I will." He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"We'll see you tomorrow Dr. House." She said with an exasperated sigh.

House tried to check if Cuddy was in her office from the nurse's station but she wasn't there. "Where is Cuddy?" he asked Hillary.

"She's not here." She said, putting away patient's files.

"I can see that!" He studied her, "Where is she?" he asked one more time.

"I don't know." She claimed, still looking away.

"You do know." He paused, "You just don't want to tell me."

"You're the last person she wants to see, trust me." She indulged him.

"Well if you're not going to help me, I'm going to look for her myself!" He started to walk around the clinic, shouting her name any chance he got.

"Dr. House, stop that, I'm telling you she's not here!" She tried hoping it would stop him. As he decided to check every exam rooms, Nurse Hillary followed him. She was desperately trying to stop him but he just wouldn't listen. As he was about to open the door to exam room three she stopped her insane yelling.

"She's here, isn't she?" He eyed her carefully.

She sighed and pleaded him not to enter but inevitably nodded yes.

He suddenly pushed the door open, came inside the darkened room and closed it behind him.

* * *

It was one of those evenings where the moon outside would shine on the fully settled night. The first thing he saw as he closed the door was the closed blinds that only let through this perfect pale light. He knew she was there, to his far left, probably around the corner.

"Only you just couldn't walk away." She spoke first, almost chuckling.

"No can do, Cuddy dearest." He said turning to his left. The light was reflecting on the shadow that she was at that instant. He started to move in her direction, very slowly. She looked beautifully sad but her furrowed brows that were probably trying to hold back tears made her seem angry.

"Not now, House." She said, her eyes still focused on the light coming from the window.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Do you want me to lie to you?" She asked back.

He kept walking in her direction, "No." he answered.

"Then leave." She asked him.

"I'm not leaving." He said.

She got up abruptly and moved dangerously close to him, the pale light still illuminating her face, "Right, you're back! I completely forgot, you don't want to freaking leave." She remarked, the light shining on her face made her eyes look black, a furious black. A black frenzy.

She was inches from him now and House hadn't moved or said a word.

"Maybe if we get this over with this-"she started to unbutton her black shirt, "you will leave."

"What are you doing?" House asked, panic boiling inside him.

"I'm giving you what you want, only sooner."She stated, revealing her black bra to him.

"Cuddy this is insane." He tried to back off.

In a fierce motion, she backed him up against the wall and trapped him with her mouth crashing on his. She used all her strength to keep him where he was. House had his eyes open the whole time, feeling her hot mouth against his. He was holding himself from kissing her back.

"Come on, House…"she said in a husky tone as she started trailing kisses from his jaw to right under his chin, "I know that's what you want.", one of his weakest and most sensitive spot.

House couldn't hold himself back anymore and tried to turn the situation to his advantage. He fiercely grabbed her waist and pushed her back against the wall where he had been. He thought it would at least give him some time to think of a way out of this mess. But she gripped one of his hands with her hand, hiked up her skirt with it, and used her other arm to circle his neck for support as she entangled his waist with her leg. Without really paying attention, he grabbed her ass firmly to lift her up slightly.

"Come on, House!" She urged him, putting her other leg, fully trapping him once more. He searched her eyes, her insistence between a sin and a lie. This was a last chance game but he couldn't lose. Had to but didn't want to. His instinct taking over his thinking and with the urgency of her tone, he finally closed his eyes and pressed his mouth against hers, slowly sucking on her upper lip. Compared to her fierce kiss, his kiss took her aback. She had started this but didn't want to have to feel anything. Out of nowhere, on a simple impulse she decided to offer her body to him but in no way was she willing to give him her feelings again. But none of that could prevent her from falling for his kisses that were asking for entrance and so, she let go of her pride to feel his mouth melting against hers and closed her eyes. The fire inside them was taking over their senses, looking for a long awaited release instead of a meaning. House was trying to touch every bit of skin he came in contact with. Her legs were urging him to do something more. As he left her mouth for her neck, she tried to force him to take off his jeans. The intensity building, she tried to reach for it herself, finding it to be a very difficult task in the position she was in and with his head buried in the crook of her neck. But, suddenly, House grabbed her arm and backed it against the wall, trapping it as well.

"What are you waiting for?" She let out with a small cry that came as her skin started to hurt from crashing hard against the wall.

He had stopped kissing her, his face still buried in her neck.

"Come on, House!" She called after him again, louder this time.

He let go of her, backing away from her fast. He was slightly panting.

"Look at me House!" She asked, the anger in her voice rising again. He was still looking down, he closed his eyes and re opened them once more before he tilted his head back slightly to meet her black eyes.

"This is not how I want to do it." He said simply before heading in the direction of the door.

"This is how you and I have always been doing it, House. I don't see why things would have to change. You don't want change; you want to have sex with me. I'm just offering you a way to skip the unnecessary socialization." She called after him, "Hey, are you listening to me?" She yelled once more.

Letting the artificial light in as he opened the door he said, "I've asked you out on a date, I'm still waiting for your answer." He was about to leave without looking back when she started to break out in tears, "Don't you walk out on me, House."

He tilted his back to look up at the ceiling instead of an almost blinding light, trying to decide what to do. She had wanted to get rid of him; maybe she didn't really want him anymore. That thought had crossed his mind. But he had to keep trying. Trying to show her how much he wanted her that very moment.

"Where the hell have you been all those years?" She cried, falling to the ground.

He let go of his most important pride and closed the door. House came to sit beside her on the floor. Cuddy watched him trying to sit.

"Are you going to lie to me?"She asked with a little sob, understanding this change in behavior as a sign of truce.

"I had no intention to."He admitted, looking straight ahead of him.

"You're playing with your hands like you're missing something there." She raised an eyebrow at him suggestively.

He let out a small laugh, "Ha the cane" he sighed and looked at his hands, "I still have it, I just don't really need to use it anymore." He paused, "I figure that it's somehow still imprinted in me."

"Do you need me to tell you why I've been in here all day?" She offered.

"I'm the one who has got a lot of explaining to do, remember?" He raised an eyebrow at her, turning his head to face hers.

"After the stunt I just pulled I think I have some to do as well." She admitted.

"Can't I just keep that one as your very own fantasy to take advantage of me in this hospital?" He sarcastically begged but if she didn't know him better, she would think he meant it.

"And the door wasn't even locked." She chuckled; she still couldn't really believe what they had done and the fact that she initiated it. But all of it for the wrong reasons to say the least.

"You're going to kill me." He joked with a small chuckle.

"Sorry." She smirked.

"I'm all ears." He sighed.

"A couple of weeks after you had gone, there was this one morning where I went to work at the clinic and ended up on a patient whose blood work had shown a stage four pancreatic cancer. I was at loss for words and didn't know how to put it." She said.

"Ouch." He let out and paused before adding, "There's never an easier way to say it, except for Wilson but then again, people thank him for telling them they're dying." House remarked.

"Well, there's been a few times where I cried after delivering the news, mostly during my internship but most of the time I've avoided conflict with patients. Save that day." She paused, "The patient had been in an excruciating pain for months-"

"The idiot should have asked to be admitted as soon as his back pain, nauseas and the rest of the symptom started; maybe he was only at a stage two or three at the time." She warned him not to say something stupid, "but then again, that cancer is the silent killer." He sighed.

"He started yelling at me. Telling me I couldn't understand his pain. When he left I ended up staying in exam room one for two days until Wilson got me out." She looked him in the eyes, silently asking for his permission to continue.

"Keep going." He said, simply, looking away as he did.

"He said there was no reason for me to think of you every time I was confronted to patients on the verge of losing control, otherwise I wouldn't be able to think rational." She remarked.

"He was right." He said.

"It didn't feel that way to me."She paused, "but eventually, I decided to focus all I had in me for and on Rachel and his hospital." She said. "And I also started smoking three to four cigarettes a day."

"You did do the math on this, right? Cigarette smoke doesn't make your breasts bigger!" He joked again.

She smiled sadly, "Today I lost it all again. I had to go tell an eighteen year old girl the pregnancy test she had come for revealed she has AIDS."

"And no consolation prize." He stated. He figured it was the same girl that he had seen at the ER. The idiot who has cut her wrists. It definitely wasn't the right moment to tell her that.

"Yes."

"You must have been at the center of her frenzy." He said looking at her.

She nodded her head yes, "I was prepared for it, seriously, I was! But-"she trailed.

"Having to think of me and my legendary stubbornness didn't help, which is why you've imprisoned yourself in that room again." He paused, "Does that make me your prince charming and you a whore?"

"Only you could say such a thing." She chuckled.

"At least you're laughing." He smiled and he was right.

"I am." She admitted.

"Okay. My story is probably a little longer and I'll never be able to explain everything that went inside my head in the last four years." He paused, "but you should know that it was worth more than the psychotherapy you have always wanted to pay for me."

"Oh my God, you actually remember that?" She smiled because she couldn't believe it, even she had completely forgotten about it.

She watched him tilt his head back and be silent for a few seconds. She got scared he would put his shield back on.

"Japan." He said, out of the blue. His eyes focused on the wall above his head. "I went to Japan. More precisely, I went to the island of Hokkaido and have stayed in an almost deserted buraku, north west of Sapporo. "He paused, "Damn, this isn't going to be easy to make this short."

"Then don't."She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I have all the time in the world." If this sentence was in fact particularly comical to the both of them, it was in fact very true. Even if she didn't have time, she would make time for him, this time at least.

He nodded, "My dad had told me of this buraku when I was fourteen. I was with my mom and dad when he was stationed in Japan." He paused, "at that age, I discovered that I wanted to become a doctor." He had all of Cuddy's attention, this was a big step, not necessarily this part even though but the rest would be. "I witnessed the respect given to a buraku doctor who solved a case no other doctor could. I had mistaken the guy for being a janitor." He paused and she laughed seeing the small smile on his face, "A socially discriminated guy solved a puzzle and it lead me to believe that I didn't have to be someone I never wanted to be… didn't want to be him" he paused and added, "and still be recognized for what I would do. Something that would be extraordinary… hoping that it would make me extraordinary."

"That made the man you know today." He said, "An extraordinary asshole but a hell of a good diagnostician." He smiled at her. She let out a small laugh. "When my –as it turns out I was again right, adoptive dad died, I started to think again at the story he tried to tell me… I guess he wanted to bond with me again. I can't say I wasn't already an ass back then for making him understand that I knew he wasn't my real dad but anyway…"he trailed off, "he told me that there was a buraku monk who was one of the greatest adept of Shin Buddhism living in –that's a given, a buraku and that he taught anyone, who was willing to give him something back, how to not fear." He stopped. "You know I don't believe in anything but science and facts but the potential existence the power of the mind became intriguing to me. "

He paused, "With my bump leg, I would never have turned to God because I'm already an ass who will burn in hell."

She laughed, "No you won't." and he smiled, "So, instead of seeking God, I searched for something that I thought could work on me." He stopped again.

"House?" She asked, she really didn't want him to stop now.

"And that night, I said "A date but you'll always outrun me" and you then you said", he tried.

"'If time will set you free, maybe it will allow you to fly' ". Her own words resonating in her head and said before he could.

"I've found that sentence very convincing." He frowned.

"Thanks!" She said, "My dad's. I had never thought it would make you leave for four years though."

"Whatever." He said and she laughed again. He frowned some more and looked down at his hands, "So I left, with my backpack -and all the necessary clothes as well as a massive amount of bottles of vicodin, for Sapporo and before, on and after the plane, there were so many things on my mind that I almost thought I'd end up in a brothel and then drunk outside a smoky street instead of an almost deserted buraku. But after hours of travelling by bus, I eventually did. There, I was introduced to a guy named Sanada who hated me from the moment he saw me. I guess he didn't like the stubble. " He paused, "With my very basic knowledge of Japanese, I think I told him that since his arm was the size of my thingy, I really wondered what size was his thingy."

"You didn't!" She cut him off.

"I did but not on purpose; I thought I had said that since his tattoos showed the path to rebirth, I really wondered if I would need tattoos myself!" He nodded rapidly a few times. "And then he punched me in the face and then started to laugh at me." Cuddy was slightly shocked but House didn't seem to be, his eyes glinted as the details went through his brain he added, "I didn't figure out until three years later that he had actually understood me but that he felt I needed a good punch in the face. Like he had figured out I was an ass before I even came to speak." He stopped, "Sanada left and the first day in the buraku, Sanada asked me to take care of the toilets and mostly used signs along as his Japanese to explain himself. I had no idea what I was fucking doing there, I mean, I had come all the way to that stupid place to be taught something new and it just wasn't it." He trailed off again.

"House…" Cuddy put her arm around his neck.

But he put her arm away, "No Cuddy, it's not what you think. He saw that I was showing him no respect at all, that I didn't want to water his plants and that I was here for a reason. So he hit me in the face again and I can tell you he didn't look like one of these small monks you see on TV, the guy was tall and thin but so damn strong. But I still wouldn't do it and got up, so he hit me again but in the leg this time."

"The-"She tried.

"Of course, Sanada wasn't an idiot!"He paused, "As soon as he saw that right there the hurt on my face was greater than it had been because of his punches, he stopped hurting me. He took my cane and asked me to go and take care of the plants." He sighed, "And I just did. The man was stubborn."

Cuddy had a look of horror on her face.

"Don't look at me like that. We haven't gone to the best part yet." And he kept going, "As I agreed they took me away from the plants that I thought were the plants he wanted me to take care of, and lead me to one of the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. The sound of the wind blowing on the leaves, hitting my ears like music would have. I'll always remember that day; he looked at me and nodded. I took that as a sign to go visit the garden and then I started working on it with the rest of the monks. At night I got a good ration of rice and I went to sleep. I had trouble sleeping, I still wasn't sure why I had done it… done it all actually, but there was another puzzle for me to figure out and I just… didn't want to leave the place. The week after that, he asked me to take care of the wood which reminded me to ask for my cane, so I opened my Japanese dictionary and asked Sanada for it and he told me something along the lines of burning wood. So I was left with only my limp to work on the garden and the fields. One day he asked me to work with the meat guys and to kill cattle. I felt it was more degrading than the fields or his garden but apparently it wasn't. I was getting ahead! Any other task he asked me to do, I did. I still had no desire to leave and I also didn't really think I could leave. I certainly didn't want him to beat the crap out of me again."

Cuddy was bewildered.

"But one day, Sanada asked for me. So I went to him with my dictionary." He paused, "And he said, " 'Do you want to learn about Karma for people like us?' in English. I couldn't believe it, the guy spoke English. I was on the verge of killing him but I couldn't move. So he told me 'Don't you understand your own words, Dr. House.', I got mad and started yelling and told him that there was no reason for me to learn from a worse liar than I was. But he kept on talking, 'You have already learned so much, trust me, you don't want to stop now.' And his words hit me as fast as my throbbing pain usually did. I was watching him when he said that I could leave right now if I didn't want to learn. But I told him that I wasn't like them, that I would never be them, idiots who beat the crap out of you because you don't do as they say. He said, "But you are like us. Like I said, you have learned so much already, look at my garden, it's beautiful." I retorted saying it already was when I first got here. But he kept going and said something along the lines of, "But you want the pain to stop, don't you Dr. House?"

"What did you do?" Cuddy cut him off, really intrigued by the rest of the story.

"Good God! Next thing you're going to ask me to write a book!" he said.

"I will if you don't and you'll only get 10%!" she remarked and added, "Continue!"

He smile at her remark and nodded, "And then I got mad saying that even I, a doctor couldn't take it away, I showed him my vicodin, telling him it wasn't enough. And that's when he said, 'You are a great doctor but here is the work of man on himself.' Or something like that and I just couldn't take his bullshit anymore, I waved him bye and said thanks for nothing but the bruises and a doubled excruciating pain in my leg. As I was limping my way out of this mess, he spoke up and said to look at my walking, his words are still echoing in my head, "You're nobody if you can't accept your difference." But I kept on limping and the silence that I thought would last didn't. 'Cut it!' he said, 'Be your own executioner!' and he paused." House stopped himself once more and looked up, House didn't really cry but sometimes it seemed like he was. And Cuddy saw that.

"And then what did he say?" Cuddy asked

"Or walk like a man without fear of pain." House almost let out a sob. "The guy wasn't very keen on middle grounds." House let out a laugh then. Cuddy had tears forming in her eyes. "I went back to face him and he put his hand on my shoulder and simply nodded. He offered me to sit and he told me of his buraku bloodline's discipline related to the teachings of Shin Buddhism and told me of the legend of the executioners, allegedly, their blood gave them power over dead bodies so that they could manipulate them to serve their needs. That made me laugh and laughed as well and he said that as comical as it sounded, something about this legend applied to me. "

"The missing dead muscle." She sighed, getting it.

House simply nodded, "He said that I would have to learn and work hard to get my leg to live again. He then asked me to get rid of all my pills and I eventually gave up on them."

"After how many kicks?" Cuddy asked, not sure she really wanted to know the answer.

"Too many for what it was worth to me." He admitted and he spoke again "And for about two years, I have worked hard on the simple things like taking care of the meat, doing some trade, working on his garden and occasionally, diagnosing a couple of ill monks when needed. Sanada was never really showing any sign of being impressed but he appreciated what I did. We were cut out from civilization except for the phone Sanada allowed me to use it to call Wilson and occasionally my ex PI, you remember him, right?"

"I do." She pursed her lips, slightly.

"Anyway," House kept going, "Everyday, my pain started diminishing and I could feel my leg getting stronger. It really did work like physiotherapy if I'm being rational but there was something about their way of living and their thought process that made it easier than the one month of physio I had to do years ago. And you and I both know that with physio I would have still needed my vicodin on a daily basis." Cuddy nodded and House continued, "One day, Sanada told me it was time I moved to Tokyo. He got me a nice apartment in some rich district, nowhere near the burakus. Which I thought was strange. He told me that it used to belong to a Yakuza unit who definitely weren't nice guys. He said, 'Do your study and when you have answers, you comeback and see me before you go home. I really had no intention of going back home yet." House paused.

"Sorry, but Yakuzas?!" Cuddy asked, worried now.

"Well yeah, during that time I spent in Tokyo, I discovered that many buraku men were part of the biggest Yakuza syndicates. Executioners should have rung a bell here but it didn't until about a year and half later, when my understanding of the life conditions for the burakus among the rest of the Japanese population had changed at least on the surface."He coughed, "One of the great ironies of the buraku issue is that with the exception of Chinese and Korean families who have moved into the buraku, the residents are ethnic Japanese and, therefore, indistinguishable from mainstream Japanese. This means that even Japanese people who still despise buraku and their residents, actually have no way of knowing whether they are seated next to one." House paused.

"So it's like being discriminated but people can't know about it, or like when people start talking to you thinking you are a nice miserable cripple, a poor thing." She tried to clarify.

"Essentially yes, reading about the Shinjin-"He tried.

"The what?" She asked.

"The clear or clarified heart-mind." He said, "I've read some really interesting stuff that was supposedly part of Sanada's study program." He explained, mocking it just a little. "Don't worry I also took the time to visit all of Tokyo's brothels and part of the country."He winked at her and she rolled her eyes, "But when he told me about learning about karma for people like us, I hadn't realized what he had meant until I saw that the painting on the wall above where my bed was. It was in fact a painting of his garden. Sanada's garden!"

"And-" Cuddy tried, not sure she was following him.

"And then I had my epiphany." He smiled at her. "Focus boss! So I came back to Sanada's buraku to tell me I had figured the puzzle out. "He paused, "Sanada welcomed me back with the annoying nod of his head and that's when I said, I remember it by heart but the first bit is easy as it's a definition of Karma", he laughed and said it, "'Karma tells us that the effects of all deeds actively create past, present, and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to him, her and others.' He then eyed me suspiciously, a little like you actually when I come up with a diagnosis." Cuddy laughed at that comment, picturing herself as a Japanese monk.

House continued, "And then I told him that I wasn't done and said 'The precepts of the Shinjin, when worked on the mind to clarify the heart, actually explains who you are. It's what I've been trying to figure out all along!' Suddenly I felt pretty stupid for trying to figure him out but he asked me to continue and so I told him that he had lived in that apartment and that I was a hundred percent sure he was a Yakuza. 'Ex-Yakuza ', he rectified. Then he started to walk inside his cabin so I walked after him. Coming inside, I saw him look for something and when he found it, he pointed it at me. It was my cane." His voice had become so much lower by then. "I was stunned and said 'So that's the answer I get from all this? I get my stupid cane back?' I got angry.

Cuddy was feeling she was getting more information than she deserved. As if House was reliving all this time again.

House was almost done, "He simply said, 'My personal opinion on this is; you know who you are through me.' He said, still holding my cane, 'I have taken your cane away and you took your mind off pain. You have your answer if you decide not to use it.' I remember him pausing and then he added, 'At least not until you're too old to walk.' He laughed. I wasn't laughing, I thought it was all extremely stupid to be honest and I asked something like now I have to let my heart live? He laughed some more and said, 'Cut it, be your own executioner or walk like a man without fear of pain.'

Cuddy let out a sob and House's gleaming eyes settled on her little form. She rested her forehead on his shoulder and he didn't back off. "I took my cane, he did the stupid nod and I nodded back."

"And after that?" She asked, like a little girl who wanted to know the end of the story.

"I came back."He said simply.

Her hand was caressing his chest _absentmindly_ now and he broke the silence, "Can you believe I've just invented all that?"

Blood shot through her eyes. "You didn't-"She eyed him in shock, ready to kill him.

"No, it's a short summary but that's pretty much it." He said honestly.

"A Short Summary?!" She remarked, bewildered. Almost sleepy after such an epic story, herself.

He shrugged, "You still look like a disheveled whore by the way." He added, looking at her messy hair and then down to her still exposed bra.

Then out of the blue, Cuddy got up and said, "Yes."

"To what?" He asked, still seated on the floor.

"Her birthday is on Saturday you come and you and I will go out on a date on Saturday night."She answered as she started to button up her shirt.

"Oh come on! Why now? I told you all that I had planned on telling you if you and I had gone out on a date! Now, I'm going to have to pretend and lie and I won't get any nookie out of it." He practically yelled, his turn to get up.

"I won't make it easy for you."

"Thirty minutes ago, you were!" He coughed.

"Oh God." She rolled her eyes, "You have got to try harder to get what you want and to get what you need." She explained, opening the exam room door.

"Because you still don't trust me, you're making this a test?" He raised an eyebrow, following her out.

"I believe you don't want to 'cut it' as you said just yet." She replied.

"But this is a test." He retorted.

"It's a date." She winked at him as she left.

House bit his bottom lip.

* * *

**Tomatoes? Dying? or both? lol ;) **


	18. Chapter 17

**Sorry for taking a little more time to upload this time. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :) (I hope Cuddy will seem less OOC for some of you guys who've told me that they felt Cuddy wouldn't smoke or act like a horny teenager but I don't think the way I wrote her in the last chapter shows a woman who wanted to have sex. Technically, (and it's likely my fault for not writing this more properly) she didn't want to have sex with him and I hope you all got that. But then again, to me, House is the one that is the most OOC. I tried to explain that in the first paragraph (obviously you'll read the words "out of character" in a sentence so yes, maybe I'm defending my fic in that but hey it's as good as replying to reviews. :) and I certainly hope it will clear things a little for those of you who felt Cuddy acted OOC ).**

**Reviews and critics are love. **

* * *

**Chapter 17: Tell me about skills.**

As she left her exam cell of the day, Cuddy didn't look back at House and headed for her office. She hoped he would come back to annoy her on the rest of the way but, to her surprise, he didn't. House being a true gentleman and her acting like a … whore… felt more like a parody than the both of them acting out of character. She was about to stoop to his level of cheating, lying and dismissing feelings. But she's not him, therefore she failed miserably. But at least it gave her some perspective. He's the secret kind of gentleman when he clearly wants something but that something doesn't seem to be her body –not yet, and she's the secret kind of whore –it can be kinky if she's a little too frisky and with House, the looming danger that he is to her, spices the whole secret identity up. House would argue that because she's been wearing do-me pumps for years now she's clearly showing off her skills as a very high priced call girl. Therefore he wins. Nevertheless, she would argue that House is Richard Gere and that she's his Julia Robert's Pretty Woman and that he can make her enjoy the company of a man again. Here again, Cuddy thinks she's insane for trying to think of a way to escape what will now forever be held to a certain degree of humiliation for her and used against her by House. And she will now have to think of a way to not give him what he can only want after four years of celibacy.

A date that will be a complete and utter display of denial. It's either that or she thinks she could lose her interest in him. House isn't Mr. Right as in Prince Charming Mr. Right kind of guy. His happiness has never been about him changing for the good… or the bad.

_Wait a minute!_ The thought hitting her as she picked up her suit case on her desk, _has he been with women in the last four years?_

* * *

House had gone to Wilson's place as soon as he had left the hospital. Knocking on his friend's door felt different. Small things like that keeps on reminding him of what is now missing in his life. It used to be his thigh muscle, now his cane.

Wilson opened the door, "Hey." Wilson was ready to go outside when House came in. Wilson eyed him suspiciously, "Aren't we supposed to go bowling?"

"Nope." House said about to crash on his friend's couch.

"Okay…" Wilson trailed off.

"I need to tell you what I've told Cuddy only shorter." House simply said.

"Couldn't you just leave the poor woman alone this time?!" Wilson got protective of Cuddy, "I mean, she's gone through-"

"I told her about the many women I've met in Tokyo in the last four years." House said.

"You're a PIG!" Wilson started, "I can't believe you'd-"He paused, House was rolling his eyes before him. "Wait. Did you just say Tokyo?" Wilson slowed his breathing, "You were in Japan?"

"Yep." House admitted, "You've just won a million prostitutes, congratulations!" He joked.

"Let me get the beers." Wilson said, scratching his hair while moving his ready to be enlightened self to the kitchen.

House's cell started to ring.

"One of your ringtone is Hot N Cold?!"Wilson said from the kitchen, "I'm assuming it is Cuddy's."

"Hey." House said, accepting the call.

"You tell her, I'm about to kill you in a few minutes anyway!" Wilson smirked, taking the beers with him back to the living room.

"Okay. Tomorrow night. No, I won't forget the wine. Okay, bye." House said and then hung up.

"I'm assuming you've asked Cuddy out on a date." Wilson said, sitting next to his friend.

"Yes and I'm also supposed to go to the stupid ceremony of birth. Come on, it's not important we don't even know the precise date since she was adopted! I know Cuddy's an idiot but I wouldn't want to have to do it myself." House said, getting his beer from Wilson.

"Wow! You haven't even been on a date yet and you're already part of her daughter's life. I'm going to cry." Wilson mocked his friend.

"It's not about being part of something, it's about telling the truth." House retorted.

"If you ever do that, I will kill you with my bare hands." Wilson dared him to ever try that, "Cuddy's trying to be as honest with Rachel as she can but you have to remember that she's only four years old." Wilson finished.

"Who? Cuddy?" House scratched his beard, "I agree, I wouldn't give her more mentally, physically I'll be nice and give her a good thirty-five but that's only because I want to do her."

"You've asked her out on a date." Wilson remarked, "There's a big difference."

"No there isn't, she came onto me today!" House stated, "I'm a victim of her sexual assault attempt which has triggered something very wild inside of me!"

"How can you even sound this serious when it's clear that you're not serious? I'll never know!" Wilson shook his head, bewildered at his friend's legendary sarcasm.

"I'm serious!" House said, "Why do you think she agreed to go out on a date with me after four years?"

Wilson thought about it for a few seconds, "Because-"He tried but couldn't really think of anything.

"See? You can't answer that." House smirked, "It's because I refused to take advantage of her." He then nodded.

Wilson eyed him suspiciously, "You allegedly refused to concede to her advances to simply delay the taking advantage of part?"

"If by that very complex sentence you mean that I've turn her and her lousy sex encounter down just to get a way better, more graphic sex time with her later, than you're probably right. " House smirked.

"And you believe she's going to beg for it?" Wilson said.

"I'm not here to talk about how I'm going to proceed with Cuddy, I'm here to tell you about-", House tried.

"I don't want to hear about your world wide tour, I want you to be honest with me, are you going to screw this up with Cuddy again?" Wilson asked, tired of his friend's never endless games.

"You mean my World Whores Tour." House retorted.

"You went to Japan, it's not the world." Wilson retorted.

"It's the same thing, really. It's a hundred percent satisfaction." House smirked.

Wilson rolled his eyes, "And so you got hookers-"he tried.

"And I even got Geishas to come along!" House remarked, proudly.

"-In Japan and they all suddenly cured your bad leg?" Wilson continued, sighing.

"Geishas are extremely good masseuses and the hookers, well you get the picture." House explained.

"Is that what you told Cuddy?" Wilson asked.

"Are you insane?! I didn't tell her that part! I would have ruined any chance at sexual fulfillment with her!" House kept on grinning.

"Massages don't explain the vicodin or the cane!" Wilson argued.

"I still take vicodin sometimes and the cane-"House tried, a little more serious.

"If there's one thing I know for sure House it is that you're not cured. Whatever happened in Japan, it's still fresh. It worked. Good for you! But it's not going to last. Because you know what's going to happen if you can't be anything other than an ass to Cuddy. You're not going to go past that stupid date-"Wilson tried, angry.

"I'm glad you agree, the date is stupid in itself but the prize is worth it!" House remarked.

"And you better start telling me the truth if you want my help on this." Wilson stated."

"Who says I need your help?" House shrugged off.

"You came here to tell me about what happened, I think it's a start and I think you're begging." Wilson remarked.

House sighed and decided to stop the supposedly nonsense and tell him about the buraku and Sanada.

* * *

Allison Cameron and Serena Cornell went to Cuddy's together that night.

Cuddy opened the door, "What are you guys doing here?" she asked, smiling.

"Is Rachel asleep?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, she-"Cuddy tried.

"She doesn't look sick." Cameron noted, "Take her temperature." She said, Serena nodded and they both came in.

"Wait, what-"Cuddy tried, seeing Serena's palm coming to rest on her forehead. Cuddy looked up, squinting at the hand on her forehead. "Again, what is going on?" She asked, bewildered.

"Good, pupils are reactive." Serena told Cameron.

"Ladies?!" Cuddy asked one more time.

"We've brought ice cream!" Cameron smiled at Cuddy and went to sit on her couch.

"Hillary told us about the 'Exam Room' incident earlier while you were still in 'it'." Serena explained, accentuating every keyword.

"Oh that?" Cuddy paused, "I'm fine, really." She assured them.

"Last time it happened, you weren't." Cameron retorted, "Now sit with us."

Serena rushed her friend to the couch and made her sit in the middle. "Tell us what happened." Serena ordered her.

"Nothing!" Cuddy claimed.

"She sounds angry. It's as bad as last time." Cameron nodded, "You don't stay in a room like that alone for six hours without anything being wrong." Cuddy said nothing.

"I know what makes you talk." Serena pointed t the ice cream on the table, "Eat!" She said.

Cuddy picked up a spoon and started to dig on the Cookie Dough ice cream.

"Good. Now talk." Cameron commanded.

"A patient came in for a pregnancy test and instead of having to discuss a possible pregnancy with her if the test had come back positive, I had to tell her that the HIV test had come back positive." Cuddy admitted.

"I'm sorry-"Serena tried.

"And I said yes to House about going out on a date with him." Cuddy added.

"YOU WHAT?!" Serena asked.

"Wait; is that the same patient who was brought to the ER this afternoon?" Cameron asked, still focused on the patient.

"What patient?" Cuddy asked.

"Excuse me but you said YES-"Serena tried, her arms raised above her head as a sign of protest.

"Yes I said yes to him, he's been… good." Cuddy said.

"About eighteen years old, Jenna something-"Cameron tried.

"Jenna Preston?" Cuddy asked, worry exploding inside of her.

"GOOD?!" Serena, still focused on the House issue, was getting mad.

Cameron nodded, "She cut her wrists. We got to stop the bleeding in time."

"Oh my god." Cuddy sighed. "I'm an idiot."

"You couldn't have known. I'm sure you've tried to handle the situation as best as you could at the time. It was her decision, her impulse. It has nothing to do with-"Cameron tried.

"It has to do with my doing. Sure I wasn't thinking clear and I ended up staying the entire afternoon in that damn exam room because there's so much happening and then House came and-"Cuddy started, eating way too much ice cream now.

"HOUSE?! In THE place?" Serena kept on asking, completely dumbfounded. "You let him in?!"

"You can't predict people's reactions and you know that, Lisa." Cameron assured her, "She's going to be fine."

Cuddy nodded at Cameron's comment and turned to face Serena once more, "And no, he let himself in, I didn't!! I was mad, don't worry!" Cuddy explained.

"Me not worrying?! You saying yes to going out on a date with him, that's simply insane!" Serena continued.

"Your words! You never said I couldn't, you said I should be careful." Cuddy remarked.

"And what do you think the sentence "wear a condom" means?! It was a metaphor for "DON'T YOU GO SLEEP WITH HIM AGAIN!" Serena retorted.

"It's not what you meant and you know it." Cuddy pointed a finger at her, accusingly. "And I'm not going to sleep with him, we're simply going out Saturday night and if things go smooth-" Cuddy tried.

"Don't you dare?! And stop eating that shit; it's only made for the first few seconds! Not the rest of the conversation!" Serena warned her, "Besides, it won't be do me Cuddy but hail to thee fat Cuddy after that!"

"I don't think he'll mind." Cuddy remarked, mouth full.

"I think it's great, I'm happy you guys are getting back on solid tracks." Cameron smiled. "By the way, he was there when I was restarting her heart. He was being an ass to the mother but I made him stop and I think he got it but he also as usual, had a point-" She said.

Cuddy suddenly stopped, "He was with you?" Cameron nodded, "So he knew about her cutting her wrists?" Cuddy engaged.

"He did." Cameron nodded, giving Serena an Oh My God look. Serena had the same look form on her face.

"I'm going to kill him!" Cuddy said, gulping another spoon full of ice cream."He knew I would have rushed down there but he wanted to take advantage of the situation."

"I knew this would happen." Serena had an 'I told you so' look on her face.

"No I mean I took advantage of him, played the game strategically and failed but-"she paused, "so did he!" she exclaimed.

"Wait, what?" Cameron asked, not sure what to make of all this.

"I have to go see her tomorrow." Cuddy stated.

"Are you sure this is a good idea after what happened." Serena asked.

"I have to because I've been incapable of doing my job properly and then I'll go kill House and tell him he can shove this date up his-"

"Ass, we got it." Cameron said, "Speaking of ass, if you keep eating that cookie dough, at this pace, size four is just around the corner."

"Not you now! I don't care and you guys, both of you brought that weight killer thing! Not my fault! Besides I'm trying to quit smoking." She said.

Both women looked at each other, while Cuddy was swallowing every single piece of cookie she could. They sighed and nodded at each other and searched for the two other cups in the bag.

Cuddy looked at the both of them, bewildered.

"Oh come on! I have problems too and your never was-boyfriend is taking my relaxation time away from me with my boyfriend!" Serena said.

And then they both looked at Cameron.

"I don't have any problems at the moment. I love ice cream." She said her mouth full, "I just don't have a tendency to gain weight.

The older women both glared at the younger doctor, envy and annoyance written to a degree that involved painful death.

* * *

On Friday morning, Wilson came in early as he hadn't been able to sleep the night before. House had told him about his crusade to become the 'walking man without fear of pain' that didn't really involve anything amazing except for the soul search he had done. No kids, no gossip, the only thing Wilson would be able to talk about in his diary would be the progress pseudo-monk-yakuza-buraku-Sanada had allowed House to achieve. Which; really wasn't that exciting. The more exciting part was that House is now able to walk without pain submerging him every minute of every day. That is impressive but it only takes one line to write. And one of the reasons why Wilson wasn't so excited about House's return anymore was because he didn't believe most of it. House had been quite short with his summary and even it felt like a complete fiction. Maybe House was telling the truth but House, also had changed, and Wilson couldn't believe in his best friend the way he used to. Simply because when people change they don't stop lying, they just tend to lie differently.

Wilson noticed Cuddy outside, she was smoking.

"You still don't want to quit!" Wilson exclaimed.

"Wow, Geez, 'morning, thanks!" Cuddy shook her head, bewildered and slightly startled by Wilson's approach.

"Sorry, 'morning." Wilson apologized.

"I will, eventually." Cuddy shrugged.

"Serena told me you were trying." Wilson tried, "Too much stress?" he asked, concerned.

"A little but some of it is about to be resolved soon." Cuddy nodded with an insane look on her face.

"House?" Wilson inquired, smiling.

She threw her cigarette to the ground and said, "In two hours, I shall be happy!" she eyed him and went back inside her hospital.

"You won't be the only one happy." Wilson mumbled under his breath, not believing for one second that tonight could not be a great night for the both of them. After all, House wouldn't forget the wine. Wilson walked to the entrance, smiling broadly.

"-Morphine, she's assigned to Dr. Cameron! Dr. House you shouldn't come-"Jenna could hear from outside her room.

"House!" Cameron stopped him. "You don't go in there."

"I have to." His eyes telling her not to mess with his intentions.

"What do you want to do or say to her?" She asked, not sure she wanted to let him talk to a suicide girl.

"Be quick and eventually help her." He paused, "It's in her best interest."

She sighed and said, "I'm calling Cuddy in three minutes."

He nodded and watched her leave.

"Hello Wrists Lady, I'm Dr. Gregory House." House said, barging in her room.

"Who the hell are you?" Jenna said, lying still under the covers of her bed.

"I just told you. I'm a diagnostician at this hospital and I'm going to do you a favor." He said, closing the door behind him and telling the nurse to go annoy someone else.

"Are you nuts?" Disoriented? Pathetic?" She asked, bewildered.

"No you idiot!" House told her with an aggravated sigh, "Now you either listen to me or I give you this beautiful Swiss knife." He explained, getting the pocket knife from his vest.

"I don't need a shrink." She stated, folding her arms.

House moved closer to her and said, "Show me your hands then."

"No, she said." She said, keeping her arms close to her chest.

"Show me these damn-"He tried but decided to use the force and pulled on her arms to get a better view of the bandages on her wrists.

"Why-"The young girl tried but suddenly House grabbed her wrists fiercely but not enough to cause anymore damage than he was willing to. He wanted her to feel excruciating pain.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, almost yelling.

"Yes, stop… please stop." She was crying now.

House stopped and moved away from her. Telling the nurses to not get in the way of what he was doing. "Don't worry; Dr Cameron is going to page Dr Cuddy in a couple of seconds now. You go back to doing nothing!" They rolled their eyes but they weren't listening to House but to Cameron who told them not to intervene, even though the sight a suicidal girl screaming in pain was clearly an awful one to see. But Cameron's in charge and therefore she had to keep an eye on the doctor.

"You know you're going to feel this sort of pain for a long time now. And then it'll fade just a little but sometimes you'll be reminded just how much it hurts and how it's numb and weak." He paused to take a good breath, "What did you want to feel yesterday when you cut them, huh?" he asked, glaring at her.

"I don't know, feel something else, asshole?" She said, not sure what to say anymore.

"Oh, sorry! What about that?" He started to apply pressure on each of her wrists, which made her scream more. "Do you want to feel that amount of pain the next time you want to feel different?

"STOP IT! PLEASE!" It hurt her so much; she felt her limbs go weak.

House stopped and took a seat next to her and eyed her carefully. "I take it that you don't want to die from an excruciating pain, am I right?"

"Yes." She said, weakly.

"Good answer. But from what I understand, you don't want to die from AIDS either. Because, the simple fact of learning you have AIDS makes your life painful."He paused, "I think I'm right about that as well.

"You don't understand, I need to feel different. I felt like crap and I just wanted to see how it would make me feel. Too bad if I had to die because of it." She yelled, still breathing heavily from the throbbing pain.

"Come on! Your mother was right next door when it happened." House shook his head, "You didn't want to die." He assessed, "You wanted pity."

"I didn't-"She tried.

"Tell me the physical pain I just made you experience is not as worse as the one that comes from your mental state." House dared her to say it.

"I… "She stopped herself, knowing she was about to lose this one.

"You either have the guts to take your life and leave this world, free of pain with nothing to lose but nothing to gain." He said, the blue of his eyes allowing her to see a softer side. "Or you don't and that makes you more human than any other human being who doesn't have AIDS or diseases that will kill them sooner or later."

She watched him carefully. He kept going, taking it as a sign of acceptance to at least hear what he had to say, "You have nothing to fear because there's nothing worse than knowing you're going to die, someday, somehow. You're at your lowest." He admitted, "That means you can only go higher from now on. You can be pain-free until the day you get that evil disease that your practically non-extant immune system and Tritherapy won't be able to cure."

"Feeling different is just another way to get high. Dying is easier." She said.

"And it's also faster to go through life with a disease that reminds you you're going to die. People who aren't sick can't see that. They forget it, even doctors forget that. Because you rarely think of your own death. And the day it happens, you just won't have lived as much as you wish you had. Sure, you can get hit by a bus tomorrow but that's not something you can go against. You're either in control or you're not. You're either lucky or you aren't." He paused again; he knew he had all of her attention, "You can live happier than most of the people at this hospital and you can end up having just this little amount of hope that scientists will find a cure."

"So it's either cut them or I decide to live like shit for the rest of my life."

"If you decide to live like shit for the rest of your life, there's no point in living, just kill yourself." He said, handing her the pocket knife. "Come on, take it."

She shook her head no.

"Come on take it, it's easy, it's fast, you'll get high one last time. I won't restart your heart and I'll risk my license for that."

"Why would you do that?" She asked.

"Because I don't care about people ergo I don't care about myself either." He paused, "Come on, you don't care about your mother, you don't care about making the people around you happy. You don't care at all but at your little self. Take it, cut them, and make yourself happy one last time." He stated.

She started crying again. House had decided to push it to the end, "Come on, you just said it yourself, dying is easier. You want to die, come on! You know what? Don't tell me anything, just take the knife and do it. People who say life is precious are insanely jealous of people like you: people in pain who can die without fear of regrets, because life is bound to make people miserable." He paused. "Trust me; I know what I'm saying. One day I woke up and decided I didn't want to have to fear pain anymore." He exaggerated.

She looked at him under her sobs, "But you're, you're-"She tried.

"Right, I'm still alive." He rose and eyebrow, "Oh. My. God! I'm neither an angel nor a demon; I'm just a fucking human being who believes he can be happy now that he has decided that there's nothing worse than not being able to be happy again." He was breathing heavily. "But you want to die; I respect your choice so just die. Come on, take the knife!" He yelled this time.

She shook her head no, "I want to be happy."

"You're not answering the right question." He sighed in annoyance, "I'm not happy so I can't promise you that you will but I can tell you that you're fated." He paused, "You have a chance to find it though, because you can't be and look as miserable as you are right now. No one can."

"I'm not sad, I'm not miserable, I'm numb. I just don't see the point in going through more pain just to find some shade of happiness once every ten years or so." She shrugged, still not taking the knife.

"Numb is shit, numb isn't different, it just makes you feel useless."He sighed and added,"You fear death as much as you fear pain. You've made radical changes in less than five minutes. You don't know what you want."He paused, "Well, none of us does!" He said, "What you need is to not fear the pain. You'll always be vulnerable no matter what, you'll try to evade potential pain but then you'll be submerged by the pain of not trying to successfully go through life and what it offers: the love or pain it'll cause. And all that, just because you don't want the pain."

"I don't know what to do." She sighed, honestly.

"Yesterday, you wanted to cause other people pain because you couldn't handle your pain. You did that to Cuddy."He said. Jenna looked up at him, sensing there was something more to it than just a simple observation. "You've hurt her. I agree she did a pretty lousy job at delivering the news but it all had to do with the fact that I caused her pain. You-"

"I wanted to be an ass." She admitted, looking down.

"Glad, we agree on this." He paused, "But you've also worked on my happiness. Because of what you said to my boss, she locked herself up in the exam room and let's just say, it brought her and I closer. You almost got me laid!" He had his eyes open wide as if he still couldn't believe it.

She chuckled.

"See, you almost smiled just there." He almost smiled himself, "A little bit of fear is good but it's not good enough to kill yourself. " He said, putting back his knife in his pocket.

"Weren't you supposed to give me that?" She asked.

"I figure you've had just the right amount of fear for the day." He said, getting up from his chair.

"So what do I do now?" She sighed.

He rolled his eyes, "Trust me, you don't want me to call a psychiatrist in and tell him to give you his prognosis and therapy sessions protocol that come with Borderline Personality Disorder." He stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"It means don't worry, be happy. Life can't let you down as much as it just did yesterday." He explained, sighing.

"Okay." She nodded.

"Okay." He said, about to leave.

"Dr. House?" She asked one last time.

"What now?" He exclaimed, whining.

She smiled, "Do you know if you want to live?"

"As long as you're not afraid of what the outcome might be, it doesn't hurt to try." He nodded and turned back on his heels to get out of the room. However, his long tirade had made him completely forget she would be waiting outside. The blue grey of her eyes meeting his, she was frowning but surprisingly not on the verge of yelling at him. "And now I'm going to let you have that discussion you and my boss were supposed to have yesterday." He said, walking in the direction of the door.

His limp was more pronounced this time and having heard most of the conversation from behind the glass window, she figured it might have had some sort of impact on him. She had no intention to yell at him anymore. "House…"She trailed off as he opened the window to let her in.

"I didn't want to tell you yesterday. I know you must be pissed but I know she needs your expertise more now than I need your insanely hot yelling." He was being honest again but never putting his true sarcastic shape aside.

She got in but right before House could walk outside, her instinct getting the better of her she felt like giving him something and so not really aiming for anything, she grabbed his neck and slowly but surely kissed the right side of his jaw line.

A stunned House looked down at the woman next to him, "What was that for?"

"I don't know." She was smiling at him, "an impulse."

House shook his head, "Okay, for the last TIME doctor Cuddy," he started to yell for everyone to hear, "I AM NOT going to father your child."

"I'm way past the child bearing age, remember? Trust me, your little seeds? They aren't as smart as you." She smiled at him and then headed towards Jenna's bed.

He smirked, "No, they operate when I command them to, there's a difference!" He protested.

She faked a pout, "I'm the employer. Are you getting a clearer view of who's on top in this particular situation?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, boss." He said, leaving, "And I know, that one was low!"

She turned back on her heels but he had said it before her and as much as that wasn't nice, she smiled.

"Why haven't you asked him to be the father before?! " Jenna asked.

"It just wasn't meant to be."She said, not making any real eye contact with Jenna.

"So… hum… anyway, I'm sorry about yesterday-"Jenna tried.

"I am sorry. It's me who has to apologize for not being as present as I should have been yesterday." Cuddy paused, "I think he has told you everything you needed to know. Better than any of us could have actually. It was radical, I admit but it can avoid you years of psychotherapy, not that psychotherapy is bad, I-" She added, chuckling, "Oh God! Don't tell the psychiatrists I've said that." They both smiled, "Nevertheless, I'm a doctor and I can still be useful and there are things you need to know-" Cuddy tried.

"He's an absolute jerk!" Jenna cut her off, "I mean how can you guys love and hate each other so much?"

"You've told me. Sometimes, you only love what you hate."

"Do you hate him? Does he even make you happy?"Jenna asked, very interested.

"I've never hated him." She stated, honestly. "It isn't a happy story but I can say without the slightest doubt that deep down he does make me… somehow" she hesitated, "happy."

"You know what?" It wasn't a question but it was more of a discovery, "I think he's already happy because he's around you. He just seems like a guy who doesn't notice the simplest things."Jenna stated."

"Nah, he's too much of a genius for that." She winked at Jenna. They both chuckled.

* * *

House was back at his apartment before 8PM that day. He had set a table and had bought a bottle of Bordeaux. He was lighting candles when his doorbell rung.

"Hey." House said.

"Hey." The woman invited herself in and pulled House into a hug.

* * *

Cuddy was watching Beauty & the Beast with Rachel when the phone started to ring. Cuddy was too tired to pick up so she let it go straight to the answering machine.

"_Hey Cuddy and Rachel's answering machine, this is Uncle James!_" He paused over the phone,"_Listen Cuddy, I hope you and House are going to have a great time tonight._" Wilson paused again. "_And Rachel, I can't wait to wish you a very happy birthday tomorrow and I can't wait for you, Uncle House and me to play with the big red ball! Love you, Cuddy women! See you tomorrow._" And he hung up.

Cuddy put her cup of tea down on the table and frowned, "Tonight?"

* * *

She let go of House but still had a firm grip on him, "So what? Now you don't kiss your Kelly goodnight anymore?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Hm, I'm torn." He said, closing an eye.

Kelly rolled her eyes and put her mouth to his.

* * *

**Yes you can throw tomatoes at me and yes I'm a meanie, hehe. ;) **


	19. Chapter 18

**I figured I had to write this small chapter (sorry for the lengh) fast because I've been a mean girl with the last chapter and the least I could do was to upload fast, hehe. ;) Enjoy!**

**Reviews and critis are better than chocolate!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: Tell me you're a lie.**

"Wow! I can tell you're really happy to see me." House raised an eyebrow at Kelly.

"I am." She grinned, "But this is the United States and your apartment is a mess!" She admitted.

"Yeah, I've only been back a week you know. I had other things in mind." He remarked.

She kept her arms around his neck, "I see", she paused, eyeing the blue of his eyes carefully. "This is when I intervene." She smiled.

He was smiling too. "Take off your clothes." Kelly said.

"Hey, not so fast, I bought wine you know. We've got to eat dinner first." He said. "This is my trying to be the perfect gentleman."

"You? A gentleman?" She shook her head, "This is you needing alcohol."

"I bought you what you wanted!" He pouted.

"You can drink naked, you know?" She smirked.

"True." He said, unzipping his pants.

* * *

_Cuddy put her cup of tea down on the table and frowned, "Tonight?"_

She bounced off of her sofa and went to speed dial Wilson's number.

"_Cuddy? Why are you still-_", Wilson tried over the phone.

"Tonight?" She paused, "Wilson, tonight I'm home with Rachel!" Her tone almost as stunned as it was angry.

"_I thought your date was tonight!_" Wilson said.

"It's not, it's tomorrow night!" She retorted.

"_But you called House last night, I don't-_" Wilson tried.

"I didn't call House last night!" She remarked.

"_Then why the Hot N Cold ringtone…_" He trailed off.

"Wilson, you better tell me what's going on!" She warned him.

"_Someone called him last night and he said he wouldn't forget the wine. I thought it was you because, well, House rarely drinks wine and women drink-_"He tried, thought processing.

"Oh my God! How stupid could I be-"She got mad.

"_Cuddy, maybe it's nothing. Really maybe-_"He cut her off. But she had hung up the phone, therefore cutting his speech off as well.

Cuddy went to put some clothes on and came back with Rachel's shoes and coat, "Honey, we're going to take the car for a ride. Put your coat and scarf on."

"Mommy, why are you angry?" Rachel asked as her mother was tying her shoes.

"I'm not angry, baby. I just have to hum-"She tried, more focused on ways to try and tell herself that this can't be happening, that it must be a mistake. But then again, he's House and he can't change. She doesn't want to believe it.

"Has Uncle James done something bad?" Rachel asked.

"No, Rachel." She said, done tying her daughter's shoes. "Let's go to the car." She said, taking her daughter in her arms.

* * *

Cuddy stopped the engines right outside House's apartment.

"Where are we, mommy?" Rachel asked from her baby car seat.

"Nowhere, honey." She said, not ready to get out of her car and definitely not ready to be a joy killer for her daughter.

"It is House's leg." The little girl stated. "Is it hurting?" Rachel asked.

"How do you know-"Cuddy tried, bewildered that her daughter had figured one part of the situation right.

"When you're very very mad or when you're very very happy, it's always House." Rachel shrugged. "You aren't like that with me or Uncle James."

"I…-"Cuddy stopped, "Honey, you're going to stay in the car while I go see House." She admitted, there was no point in lying to her. "I won't be long. But I have to tell him that his leg his hurting him too much, which is why he won't be able to come to your birthday party tomorrow." Here she had to lie, except maybe for the leg part if she was right about what she thought was happening just right now inside his messy apartment.

"Oh…" Rachel was sad, "Tell him I'm sorry I don't have any Hello Kitty anymore." She said, even sadder.

Cuddy's heart broke. She wanted to comfort her daughter and tell her there was no point in all this. But as much smarter as kids can be sometimes compared to adults, they're still kids and you can't kill their little world.

"I'll tell him and I'll be right back, baby." She said, shaking her daughter's tiny arm. "Okay?" She asked and her daughter nodded. Cuddy let go of her daughter's arm and got out of her car.

* * *

"Women and booze and-"He groaned, "Oh... My world couldn't be better."

"You're so easy." She laughed, her moves pleasuring every inches of his body.

"I am." He uttered.

"So, how about we-"She tried when they heard a knock on the door.

"Who the hell is…?" He trailed off as Kelly was getting off him.

He walked in the direction of the door and Kelly crashed down on his couch, taking back her glass of wine in hand.

"I am not interested in sex sects…" His voice broke as he opened the door to reveal a looking kind of pissed off Cuddy.

The sight in front of her broke every inch of her body and on the inside, from her brain to her heart. A not so rare condition called general organ failure triggered by men's bastard nature. House was sweating with only his boxers to cover the evidence of what was happening. She pushed past him to poke a head inside and saw an Asian woman, glass of wine of in her hand, on his couch.

She made one step back, ready to vomit, "You son of a bitch." She practically yelled, "You can go fuck yourself!"

"Cuddy-"He tried.

"You're going to say that this is not what I think it is, well sorry Mister Genius but right there I don't care what that is. All I know is that you can kiss your fucking stupid date goodbye and you are not to come to my daughter's birthday tomorrow. "She yelled.

"Okay, this is funny-"He tried, almost smirking.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" She kicked his leg.

"Ouch… Cuddy…" He tried, putting a hand on his bad leg.

"You think it's funny?" She eyed the Asian woman carefully. To Cuddy it looked like the bitch was smiling or mocking her internally. True, she had been that stupid but where the hell had the feminine solidarity gone.

"Yes." The Asian woman said, she hadn't even moved to give House a hand.

"Cuddy, seriously…" He tried to catch his breath, too much hurting from the kick he had just received.

"Fuck you…" She shook her head in disbelief, her voice breaking now. Pain written all over her face.

She got out and slammed the door shut.

"Wow!" Kelly said getting off the couch, "I seriously couldn't believe it at first but WOW again, she really is the one!" She smiled.

"You could have given me a hand you know?" House asked Kelly, resting his arm on the door for support.

"She already thought I was giving you one. I didn't want to cause anymore trouble." Kelly remarked, taking another zip from her glass and moving to the window.

"I don't think she's been this jealous in four years. The kick in the leg is a first." He said, looking for a vicodin on the shelf near the door.

"She really is in love with you. He would love her." She said.

"You think?" He said more like a statement than a question, popping a vicodin.

"Okay, so far I haven't been really helping but right now I can see that her car is still outside. So my question to you is what are you still doing here?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

House took all the strength in his leg he had left and rushed out of his apartment in only his boxers.

* * *

Cuddy was on the building's entrance stairs, still stunned but practically on the verge of tears. Part of the reason why she wasn't ready to break down was because she felt ashamed. For being so stupid, for believing he would have changed and for passing as such in a front of a woman that looked so much younger than her and who didn't mind mocking her.

Rachel could see her mother on the steps from her baby car seat. She looked sad. And then she saw Uncle House and she suddenly put her tiny hands in front of her eyes because he looked strange without his clothes on just like that time when she saw Uncle James' nipples. What an awful sight.

"Did you really have to hurt my leg?" She heard him say as he opened the door.

"You get away from me." She got up.

"She's not who you think she is!" He practically yelled.

"House, I'm not blind, there's lipstick on your mouth! Of course your leg is better, good for you. Now you tell your twenty something years old friend she can get her legs up and ready." She said; ready to walk down the stairs.

"First of all she's 45 and second of all, she is not a hooker! She's a Geisha." He grabbed her arm.

"Even better!" She rolled her eyes, "You let go of me." She said, not wanting to have to listen to more lies.

"Her name is Kelly Takahashi, she's Sanada's wife" He told her.

She stopped on her track, "The guy's supposed to be a monk!" She couldn't take another one of his lies.

"His ex-wife!" He retorted.

"The poor guy, if only he knew how much of a bastard you still are." She said, dragging him along as his hand was still firmly gripping her arm.

"She was giving me a massage for fuck's sake!" He explained.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed.

"Cuddy!" He groaned, "Stop, you really don't get it!"

"No, I know what I saw. Your words won't change a thing. Now you get the hell away from me!" She said and with enough strength, she escaped from his hold on her.

House stayed right where he was, watching her get back in her car. She didn't look at him, not even once. He saw her start the engine and drive off into the road. She was right, he was a liar but he had to lie to her. It's as much a test as it is a means to an end. However at that moment he wasn't particularly pleased with the pain he had caused. He knew it would happen eventually but not from something as stupid as that. When he started to feel his limbs go numb from the cold, he went back inside.

* * *

"You know, your lipstick is way too red!" He said, barging in his apartment.

Kelly eyed him suspiciously. "Of course she thinks you've sucked face with me!"

"This is our thing! It's always been that way. It's not my fault, everybody has kinks." She shrugged.

"Yeah but in the US, even a little smooch can compromise everything!" He remarked.

"Hello! I know that, I was born here, remember? I even studied here!" She waved at him.

He sighed, "I know, it's just that once she knows the truth and if she still wants me back after that, I think the smooch kink will have to stop."

She rolled her eyes, "No, I will put a stop to it when I say the time is right."

"I keep forgetting he's your ex." House smirked.

"And he's a very good teacher." She eyed him.

"You think of him all the time, don't you?" He asked.

"I miss him every day." She admitted. "Now, back onto that massage and then I'm going to play my part in this twisted story." She smiled.

"You know, I'm starting to miss Sanada's punches." He joked, getting back on the couch.

"You have no idea." She said, getting back to the task of massaging his leg, "By the way, what's your ringtone for her?" she asked.

"That's a secret, I'll never tell." He paused, "But I certainly hope hers for me is on vibrator." He waggled his eyebrows at Kelly.

"Men." She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I hope she won't-"He tried.

"Tomorrow is another day. She thinks she knows you and if you've been right all these years about her, she'll be all right." She tried to reassure him.

* * *


	20. Chapter 19

Okay, this one might need a little more thinking than it does appear to ask from you. I'm pretty vague on certain things but that's a given considering the pairing I'm writing a fic about, lol. But the vagueness has a lot more to do with the fact that I want you to be able to interpret it not only the way I'd love you to interpret it but also the way you want to interpret it.

**Review and critics are very welcomed for this chapter as I've had an amazing time writing it. Listening to a great song on repeat! ;) I suggest you listen to the song (even throughout the fic if you like it.), it's on youtube if you want to give it a try. :) **

* * *

**Chapter 19: Tell me like a woman like a man.**

Home, Cuddy put a very sleepy Rachel to bed, trying not to cave into crying in front of her. Or cave into crying at all either.

Instead, she felt like dancing. No, not like going out and hitting on guys, she felt like dancing alone in her bedroom. She tried to look for something that was raw emotions, pure need and that was a complete vision of a lie. All the way till its end. Because that's what a future with House would be. She checked her Damien Rice's albums and noticed the rare B-side her sister had gotten her for her birthday two years ago. She liked the nice and sweet songs but you could find some pretty interesting stuff on B-side. She had the perfect song.

She thanked God her room was on the other side of Rachel's otherwise she would have had to use her IPod and headphones weren't as messy in her head as having to move with nothing on her. She closed the see-through curtains. It would at least give jerks that men are a great peep show. She placed the CD inside her stereo driver. She chose her song and put it on loop.

She pressed play.

The first few strummed chords relieved her of the silence that had settled between herself and her thoughts. She took off her clothes and started to dance along the song.

_I need a piss,_

_I wanna hate,_

_Fuck it up, come._

Left with her knickers on, a filtered light in the room and the lyrics insanely getting to her, she lit a cigarette. She had made it a rule not to smoke at her place, she had just broken it.

_My love,_

_Eat your meat,_

_Keep your teeth, run._

Taking a puff, she felt she could relate to anything at this very instant. From her lousy personal life to her endless attraction to House, she can explain how to fuck up everything about one's life. If thoughts could be contained, almost rearranged and expressed within the lyrics, it would probably go as this. But listening to this song on loop will make that really easy for her, no need to press pause. He's fucking another woman at the moment anyway and she knows that her pausing isn't going to stop him. To give the thought process better access, she lay down on her bed.

_You lost me,_

_You cost me,_

_You taught me of me in the end._

He is a mess but he is hers. She is a mess but she is his. Each in their own way is a big miserable mess and somehow a weight on the other.

_We're bad,_

_What we do._

_Stupid fools._

And not even him pretending to have changed, not even the fact that his damn leg doesn't make him suffer like it used to changes anything. She should have kicked him in the balls instead of his leg. They are no different than any other doomed couples. They are a couple because they are two people bound to go to hell as they don't know what fulfills them completely.

_You wanna get boned,_

_You wanna get stoned,_

_You wanna get a room like no-one else._

This is the story of a man and a woman and not even Rachel can enter the equation. This is between him and her and their idiocy.

_You wanna be rich,_

_You wanna be kitsch,_

_You wanna be the bastard of yourself._

She is who she is, she is proud of what she's done but she isn't happy. Because she simply can't have what she needs, it's wrong to play with fire and it will always burn in the end.

_You wanna get burned,_

_You wanna get turned,_

_You wanna get fucked inside out._

He is who she needs and there's no point in lying other than the fact that she can't be neediness personified; ergo, she will lie until... She tries to erase that thought with another puff. He is and he'll always be who he is.

_You wanna be ruled,_

_You wanna be fooled,_

He's incapable of being completely honest and she's incapable of being mad at him for it. What's the point in knowing the whole thing and being sad when you can choose to only get glimpses of it and feel good? Happiness, in an environment of frustration, is about finding the little things that get you off.

_You wanna be a woman like a man, _

_Like a woman like a man._

At least, her thought process comes from a man's point of view. That has got to be insanely tragic. A man who thinks a woman is playing with him. This is just about right; she offered him sex with no consequences save for the fact that it would lead nowhere. At least a good lay would have made things easier for her, probably for the both of them but at that moment his happiness was none of her concern.

_A woman like a man, like a man, like a woman like a man, woman like a man_

_I'll get a cheaper ticket next time..._

That's the price she had to pay. Hurt and no sense of satisfaction from him whatsoever. Is there any point in doing the same to him? Go out and find someone for an emotionally painful fuck? Jealous House would have no right to take her away from self destruction. Sex is easier, relationships don't work out.

_Woman like a man, like a man, like a woman like a man, like a man._

_'Cause it really wasn't worth the ride._

One ride and you should be done and over with.

_Need a hit?_

_Wanna wait,_

_Suck it up, cum._

But the song won't stop playing now and all the things she wants, she doesn't want. And all the things she doesn't want, she wants. One cigarette after another, she switches positions every ten seconds, the rhythm and riffs invading her senses more than her thoughts.

_My love,_

_Eat your meat,_

_Itchy feet, run._

This is who he is. But this isn't about him. This is about her and what she wants to be able to do to him.

_You reach me,_

_You bleach me,_

_You teach me of me how familiar._

Two rides, almost three. The first one years ago, the second one almost four years ago now. And she almost did it again one the day before, putting her own self esteem to rest. The undeniable attraction makes her act out of pure self interest. His own neediness becomes hers. She becomes him, he has his hookers. She has him.

_We're bad,_

_What we do._

_Stupid fools._

This isn't making love a mess; this is a mess making love.

She wants to be ruled, she wants to be fooled, and she is… the feelings he never wants to be confronted with. She is his boss on paper, events in his life have fooled him but none of it has on paper. Pain or no pain, House will never change. And she would be even a worse liar if she said she would change for him… or for herself.

_You wanna be a woman like a man, _

_Like a woman like a man._

And then she wishes he liked her like she does.

* * *

"I can't simply do… nothing." He said out of the blue as they were eating dinner.

"What?" she said, "We've talked about this. You can't go see her until tomorrow."

"She must be going through one severe case of depressive thought process at the moment." He scratched his beard, "Really, she can't be masturbating." He joked, trying to diminish the seriousness of his tone.

"At her place, I would probably be doing someone to take the edge off right…now…"She stopped herself, sensing she had said something extremely wrong by the look on his face.

He rose up from his chair, "Come on! I was joking! You don't really think she'd be-"Kelly tried.

"Trust me, she can." He said from the living room, "She has in the past."

She rose up from her chair as well to meet him in the living room.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because-"He stopped himself as he was looking for his bike keys.

"You're not seriously thinking about going to her place!" She exclaimed.

"I am." He paused, "Where are my keys?"He asked.

"In my hand." She sighed.

"Why did you take them?" he asked, coming closer to her.

"I had a feeling you'd run and ruin the gentleman aspect of things we had planned." She shrugged.

"Give them to me." His eyes were filled with jealousy by now.

"Answer my first 'why' then."She asked back, not ready to give them to him unless he had a good reason.

"You want to know why she would need to take the edge off."He almost yelled, "Because if she was able to do it with me like I have done it million times before with hookers, she can with someone else tonight. "

Without any hesitation, she gave him his keys.

* * *

The song was still playing and she hadn't moved from her bed at all. The smell of cigarette smoke had invaded her bedroom. It looked like a mess. Enough of a mess for her not to be stupid enough to leave her daughter, act irresponsible and do something stupid. But the temptation was still grand.

House had parked his bike on the other side of the road; he was facing her House when he noticed that all the lights were out.

He rushed to the front door and started knocking on it. Nothing and no one to answer the door. He heard music coming from his right. It came from her bedroom. House walked in the direction of her window. He sighed in relief as he saw her on her bed, alone. She was shirtless and practically naked though, the filtered light revealing just the right amount of everything. But as sexy and perfect as it seemed, he had trouble breathing. Not because he could see her there without her knowing he was watching her but, because someone else could have, and why not from the inside, minutes before he had. Jealousy wasn't going away, it never would. He knocked on her window.

Startled, Cuddy tried to reach for her sheets to cover herself up, in vain as she heard who it was.

"I've seen them before, you know!" He said.

"Go away." She said, walking toward the window. At least he would get a better view before she'd close the main curtains on him.

"I am not going to. Open the window or I'll break it." He said.

"Then I'll call the cops." She remarked.

"But then I'll be in jail and you won't get to hear my story." He paused, "And I know you always need to know."

"This is insane!" She stated, "I'm here, practically naked, trying to argue with you." She grabbed the curtains.

"I did not sleep with her, damnit!" He said as she closed the curtains once and for all.

As she walked back to her bed she could hear him say, "And I sure hope you haven't done anything stupid."

She closed her eyes and didn't answer, hoping he would go away.

He could have easily broken the window and climbed onto the windowsill and get into her room but decided against it. Still, he wouldn't give up. Need is better than a shot of adrenaline. He searched around her house for another way to get inside. The kitchen window was locked as well as the bathroom window. Then he went to Rachel's room, the window was locked but it definitely looked more flexible, on the verge of breaking for some reason. He didn't think twice before he forced it open. He tried to climb onto the windowsill without waking Rachel up. He managed so with more confidence than he thought he had. Inside the room, he made a quick stop to look at Rachel who was indeed, sleeping peacefully. "Sweet dreams." He whispered to her before he made his way out of the room.

As Cuddy was finally getting some peace from the fact that he was gone –or not, she saw her door sliding open to reveal who she had thought was gone.

"Get out!" she said, getting up as he shut the door slowly behind him.

"No." he said, simply.

"What are you doing?" She said as she watched him lock the door.

"Not letting anybody else into that room for the rest of the night." He said. "Nice song." He added, making his way towards her.

"I've been here the whole time, alone." She managed to say.

"Even if I believed you, why couldn't it have happened before that?" He asked.

"God! You're making this about you again! You're not supposed to be jealous, I am!" She claimed.

"But you want to get boned, fucked inside out… ruled and fooled, and all that kind of stuff, huh?" He asked, paying a lot more attention to the song than he was to the sight before him. Obviously, he was trying really hard as her body was dragging him towards the edge of war. "Talking about diplomacy!" he joked.

"Get out, House. I'm not going to do this. I'm not playing this game." She said, almost defeated.

"Let me tell you the rules of this new game I've just invented then Cuddy. This is fun, you'll see."He paused, roaming around the room, "First and for the hundredth time, I didn't sleep with her. Second, when you need to take the edge off, you go to me and not some random guy. Finally, rule number three-"

"Why are you bringing this up, huh?" she cut him off, bewildered.

"Because one night, I gave you everything you asked for." He said, "He cheated on you and you took the edge off with me." He paused, "And then you really got hooked, even though we have technically never been together."

"He was my problem. End of story. So one fucking problem compared to your entire messy life filled with issues that you never wanted to deal with is like…," she trailed off, "Tonight was just like old times."

"Again, she's a friend! Among her kinks, there's taking care of me, eventually give my mouth a big smooch and also, prepping me to go out on a date with you properly." He caught his breath, "She's here to help and you're not making this easy."

"Oh so now it's my fault? And for believing that you were… with her?" She wasn't sure what he was referring to but the look in his eyes told her she had to believe him, "You make me want to puke." It didn't mean he had the right to say something like that.

He moved closer to her, "And I used to have issues with need when it came to you. This is why I've tried to forget about that first night with you. Hookers have played their part in my life. What is done is done. Game over." He admitted.

"Don't you dare touch me?" She warned him.

"I'm not going to." He said and took off his jacket. "You are." He started to unbutton his shirt, slowly.

"What are you doing?" She asked, not sure where she should be landing her look on anymore.

"Probably a big mistake." He said, taking off his shirt and kicking off his shoes.

"I'm not going to touch you-", she tried to tell him as she watched him unbutton his jeans. A moment later he put his fingers on his zipper.

He was about to lower it when she gripped his hand, forcing him to stop.

"Told you, you'd touch me." He eyed her hand.

"You're not playing fair here, House." She looked him straight in the eyes.

"So now you're playing?" He asked.

"What are you doing?" She asked again.

"Playing by the rules of a game I had never thought I'd create." He remarked. His nose only inches from hers. "I'm letting you take the edge off." He admitted.

She skipped a hear beat, "What does rule number three say?" She asked. Her eyes focused on his mouth.

She was caving. "I want you." He breathed. It took her less than two seconds to make contact with his mouth and bridge the gap with their messed up need.

He let her tongue take the advantage, she would get to rule and fool him this time. She wanted to get boned and he was ready to comply. The fictitious mess he had created for himself was about to serve as a means to an end he hadn't planned on. The good kind of mess he had wanted to avoid so much. They were back where they started, as if four years hadn't gone by. She made a few steps back so that they would fall down on her bed. Her mouth still clung to his; she helped him kick his jeans off and his boxers in the process. There would be no teasing and he knew it. She wanted it raw and fast. And get fucked inside out.

He worked on taking off her knickers, touching every bit of skin his hand could come across. And as he had done so, he tried to look in her eyes as much as the dimed light allowed him to. She wouldn't ask him to stop. He didn't really know if he wanted her to, or not.

"Now." She breathed.

And he took her the way he had been ordered to. Only inside, like a man like a woman.

And she took her edge off, like a woman like a man.

* * *

**To squee or not to squee? lol. **


	21. Chapter 20

**I know some of you didn't expect the story to take this turn but I had to in order to go where I'm going to go now. I can't have House and Cuddy be all happy happy because it's not what they are. Trust is an issue in their relationship and so is acceptance, it's twisted because it's not like that in their working relationship but that is what's fun about writing on the possibility of them being together. I hope you're still enjoying this fiction and I promise the better days are coming! :)**

Reviews and critics are still very appreciated.

* * *

**C****hapter 20: Tell me this wasn't a mistake. **

In their fully observed pretenses, no matter what would happen in the aftermath of the sex, was a single detail neither House nor Cuddy, had planned. Would he stay?

After coming relatively painfully, satisfied but unsatisfied at the same time, House was still inside her. Not ready to let go. He titled his head slightly to search her eyes. In between moans, she had been crying and when she noticed that he could see that, she looked away. He closed his eyes and sighed, untangling himself from her. She squirmed under him a little as he had been doing it so, pretty harshly. He got out of bed, leaving the disheveled piece of a woman she was at that moment, alone with the remainder of his sweat and scent. Her eyes were still facing the window, but she just had to hear his then slow breathing to know what he was doing. He was getting dressed and went for the door. He unlocked it.

When he was done he looked at her one last time and said, "Goodnight."

And then he was gone, in silence.

As he was walking towards the front door, he heard a little voice call after him, "Uncle House, is that you?"

"Yes, little one." He whispered, stopping on his tracks.

"I'm scared." Rachel said, hugging her Hello Kitty close.

He moved closer to hear and knelt down in front of her, "Nightmare?" He questioned her.

She nodded her head yes. "Mommy said you couldn't come to my birthday because of your leg." She paused, "It made me sad and in my dream you were gone away." She explained.

He sighed again, "I'm here, aren't I?" he said, resting his palm on her cheek.

She nodded her head yes once more, "I want mommy." She said.

"Okay." He agreed, getting up.

"But I want you to stay so you don't have to go and hurt your leg before my birthday tomorrow." She added.

"I tell you what," he paused, "I'm going to take you to your mother but I won't stay, it's too late, tonight."

She was pouting. "But I'll be coming to your birthday tomorrow, okay?" he asked.

She gripped with her hands her Hello Kitty firmly and extended her arms to him. He smiled and lifted her up in his arms, tugging her close to his chest.

Cuddy had turned off the stereo and gone hiding her body under the sheets of the bed. She heard two small knock on the door before it opened.

"She had a nightmare." He said. She saw him holding Rachel in his arms and instinctively extended her arms to reach out for her daughter.

"Mommy…" She trailed off as House was giving her to Cuddy.

"Shhh, it's alright, honey. Go back to sleep." She tugged her down to the bed and under the sheets with her.

House said nothing and she watched him leave in silence as he had done so only minutes ago.

"I'm sorry." She uttered, almost inaudibly, to her daughter who was dozing off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, House woke up on his couch. Kelly had left him a note saying she'd come around 10AM and bring breakfast.

House heard a knock on the door and went to open it.

"Good morning, Greg." She said, coming in.

"'Morning." He answered, grabbing the coffees and the donuts box from her.

"So, what happened?" She asked as she followed him to the kitchen.

"Lousy sex but I'm pretty sure she didn't fake it." He chuckled, "I fucked up but apparently I'm that good that I can suppress people's emotions."

"Four years isn't something you can get over in a night. " She remarked, reminding him why she was here in the first place.

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." He retorted, "But I've done it anyway."

"Why couldn't you just let her be?" She asked, sighing as she understood perfectly what he meant.

"Because she wanted, needed to be in control of this particular situation. " He said, drinking his coffee, "and… if I hadn't let her, I don't know what would have happened."

"All you did Greg is buy yourself time but you've played with fire here!" She told him, "This was a mistake and you acted out of pure self interest. You are no better than her."

"Don't start on that, of course I'm no better!" He claimed.

"No, you listen to me now!" She practically yelled, "You should have given her what she wanted. She wanted you gone! It was easy; instead you've messed up with her sanity by being again for one night the one thing she didn't want you to be anymore."

"You know what? I'm tired of this bullshit." He shouted at her, "I'm the only one who can figure this out, your husband told me himself!"

"Ex-husband." She rectified. He rolled his eyes, "Then why did you ask for my help?"

"Because... I don't know."He admitted, looking evasive.

"House, you don't need my help." She paused, tugged him closer and pulled him into a hug. "She'll be around even if you screw this up. I know it and you know why?" She asked, even though it wasn't really a question.

"Why?" He rolled his eyes.

"Because she doesn't want to become me, hoping everyday that she hadn't let him get away...and become a fucking monk." She admitted, chuckling.

"I knew you had no respect for his achievement." He remarked, raising an eyebrow.

She punched him in the arm.

"So flowers?" He asked.

"I'll have something for you by eleven." She explained. "The birthday starts at noon right?

He nodded yes, "I have to find a mini version of my tennis ball."

The doorbell rung and House limped his way to the door; Kelly hadn't seen him struggle this much in a while and it broke her heart to see how hard last night must have been on him emotionally.

House looked through the peephole and saw that it was Wilson. He opened the door and saw House and an Asian woman. Adrenaline mixed with anger, he suddenly hit House in the face.

"For God's sake!" House shouted, resting his palm on his jaw line, "What the hell was that for?"

"Because you're incapable of acting like a human being!" Wilson started," You've been carrying a sign saying "HERE'S THE NEW HOUSE! CHANGE IS POSSIBLE!" everywhere but you are not who you say you are… all these bullshit about the Sakaranana guy-"

"Sanada!" Kelly retorted.

"-The mind calling and the pain thing, I'm practically sure you're taking methadone or some other shit because you aren't any different House, you've cheated on her with this, this… whore!"

House rolled his eyes.

"I'm a Geisha, James!" She said.

"You are not… wait, how do you know my name?" Wilson paused looking at House, "Why would you tell her my name?"

"Because she is not a hooker, damnit!" House explained.

"You know what? It's even worse that she's some unpaid girlfriend of yours. How could you do that to Cuddy?!"

"For the hundredth time, I have not slept with her and in all my life I've never, you hear me, NEVER cheated on Cuddy." He said the anger in his tone forceful.

"If that's true it's only because you never were in a relationship with her!" Wilson retorted, still trying to compose himself.

"This is why I'm here." Kelly told him.

"So who the hell are you?" Wilson asked.

"Kelly Takahashi." She said, "And I'm just a friend."

"House doesn't have friends." Wilson remarked.

"Then I'm his partner in crime, or mentor-"Kelly tried.

"You're not my mentor." House retorted.

"Why is she here?" Wilson asked.

"Because she is someone I can trust, unlike you while you're still overprotective of Cuddy instead of being overprotective of me." House explained.

"You know what Geishas usually do, James?" She asked.

"Yes, I think so." He said.

"Well, just so you know, I'm not the hooker type. I swear" She said.

He simply nodded, ready to take her word for it.

House added, "And by the way she is Sanada's ex-wife so be careful what you tell her, she can kick your ass."

"Thank you for saying 'ex-wife'." She thanked him for finally acknowledging that.

"I still don't believe you guys have gotten a divorce." He shrugged.

She rolled here eyes.

"So you're not taking methadone?" Wilson had to ask again.

"No!" He said, louder this time. "I think I need vicodin though." He said as he started to massage his leg.

"Pain level?"She asked him.

"On a scale from one to ten, I'd say a three or a four." He admitted.

She went to get him his vicodin and brought him one pill to pop.

"You need a glass of water?" Wilson asked.

He took it and dry swallowed it, "Old habits die hard." He said.

"As long as you don't become a druggie again."Wilson added.

House's sudden change of facial expression warned him not to go there.

"Anyway, I have to go to Rachel's birthday party later. I suppose Cuddy uninvited you." Wilson expressed.

"Oh my God! How did you know?!" House mocked him.

"I suppose you're going to come anyway." Wilson shook his head.

"I made a promise to little Miss Cuddy who turns four years old today." He said.

* * *

Serena knocked on Cuddy's door around the same time Wilson had arrived at House's. After a few minutes left unanswered and freezing outside, she said "Cuddy open the door!"

Cuddy opened the door, "Sorry, I was in the shower I didn't hear you." She said, wearing just a bathrobe and let her friend in.

"I brought the missing balloons and I've made this chocolate cake!" She said with a big smile.

"You shouldn't have!"Cuddy said, "I have already two cakes."

"Well it'll be more for Cameron and her small ass." Serena, "I'm telling you by the end of the afternoon, Chase will want a divorce." She joked.

This brought a smile to Cuddy's face.

"Can I use your bathroom for a minute?" She asked.

"Sure." Cuddy said, getting the balloons and the cake to the kitchen where Rachel was playing with her toys.

A couple of minutes later, Serena went back to the kitchen wishing the birthday girl a very happy birthday, but then gave Cuddy a very intrigued look, "You lied to me." She said. Cuddy raised an eyebrow at her.

"You knew I was knocking on the door because you weren't having a shower in that bathtub of yours."

"Oh! Sorry I was having a bath… same thing." She said, not looking preoccupied.

"But you heard me and you still took your time! That's mean!" she claimed.

"So now you think there's a reason as to why I've taken a bath!" she said.

"Mom has been in the bathroom for two hours." Rachel cut in, still playing.

"Yes!" Serena said, shaking her head.

"I wanted to look pretty for my baby's birthday!" She looked at her daughter.

"Bull…"she stopped herself, she had promised to be careful with her words around Rachel, "You're lying." She said.

"Living room." Cuddy pointed the direction to her friend.

"House and I had sex last night." She admitted.

"Ok…"She tried.

"Don't you dare yell at me!" She paused, "Just let me explain." Serena nodded.

"I saw him with a woman last night and I assumed he had been having sex with her behind my back." She admitted, "I didn't give him the time to explain himself and I went-"

"You've turned insane mode on." Serena sighed, "Oh God…"

"I wasn't going to do anything wrong, I've just haven't felt alive in years and waiting and waiting… I wanted to be bad." she said.

"For him?"Serena asked.

"I don't know, I just didn't know what I wanted anymore."She paused, "And when he came back to try and give me an explanation, I let him do me instead of properly discuss things."

"This is twisted." She said.

"He started it, saying I had to take the edge off." She remarked.

"You two can't possibly have an adult conversation." Serena shook her head.

Cuddy said nothing.

"You know why you are as bad as he is?" Serena told her, "It's because you don't believe you can have a relationship with him. Four years ago you wanted to believe that but now you don't."

"I don't-"Cuddy tried.

"And I assume that you were having a bath to wash away last night's sexy time." She added.

Cuddy nodded.

"But my real question to you is why you didn't do it right after the sex with him." Serena remarked.

"I'm a mess." Cuddy sighed.

"That you are!" Serena said, "You didn't because you enjoy badass House, you're not sure you can trust a new version of House even though I believe he's still the same bastard, somehow you see something is different just like Wilson does." She paused, "You didn't want to clean the type of mess you had enjoyed at least not right away." She explained and added, "And usually in movies or from my personal experience, you take a shower to wash yourself, not a bath which means you don't really regret it!"

"I guess so." Cuddy admitted.

"He might be rather extremely secretive but somehow I feel bad for him." Serena paused, "I feel bad because it seems that he must have been trying really hard with this date thing."

"He has." Cuddy nodded.

"Mommy!!!" Rachel came rushing to her mother, "you have to get dressed!"

"She's right, go get hot." Serena winked at her.

"He's not coming." Cuddy told her.

"It doesn't mean you can't look hot, momma!" She shook her ass and it made Cuddy smile softly.

* * *

Around 1PM, most of the little guests from Pre School had arrived, some of the mothers staying and some who couldn't. At least Serena and Cameron would be around to keep an eye on the children. Cameron was reminded that she wanted kids and Serena was very happy hers weren't that age anymore.

The birthday girl had received tones of present and Cuddy had gotten her daughter had covered her daughter with some fantastic new toys and clothes. Rachel Cuddy was a very happy little lady.

Chase was the entertainer of the moment, replacing a very late Wilson. Serena wondered what he was doing, "He was supposed to be here an hour ago." She said.

Suddenly the doorbell startled Cuddy and Serena.

"Well, saved by the bell!" Cuddy joked and she went to open the door.

She first saw Wilson and smiled at him, "Finally!" She said and he came in with his huge paper wrapped present. As he came inside he said, "Don't freak out."

And she turned to face and close the door again; her eyes came in contact with House's.

"Hey." He said, carrying a plant in an urn.

"Hey." She said, switching her gaze to the plant.

"This is a cherry tree in a… well… an urn." He really didn't know how to put it.

"This is for me?" She asked, not sure what to expect.

"No, it's for Serena."He joked at the woman who was watching the scene attentively.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Your daughter made me promise I would come to her birthday party last night." He acknowledged.

Memories of the previous night came rushing back to her and she was suddenly at loss for words.

"Well, I'm going to come inside now." He said and as he moved passed her he whispered in her ear, "Don't freak out." This sent shivers down her spine but then it almost turned into boiling anger as she saw who the last person was.

"You!" Cuddy almost yelled to the Japanese woman. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hey Lisa, well, I thought it was obvious. I'm your future wedding planner!" she claimed.

Cuddy startled by her comment stood there, at her front door and completely dumbfounded.

"I'm kidding." She said, moving passed Cuddy and whispered, "Or maybe not."

Cuddy had no idea why she had let the woman in, in the first place, but her guts told her that she had no right to ruin her daughter's birthday and make a scene because of what seemed to be real issues.

House had put the beautiful cherry tree on her kitchen table and when he saw where the birthday girl was among this crowd of parasites, he came from behind her and poked her slightly.

She turned back to see who it was and her eyes gleamed when she saw him, "Uncle House, you're here!" she said.

"Yes, I'm here." He smiled, kneeling down before her. "Happy birthday." He added, looking for something inside his pocket in the process.

"You brought the big red ball?!"She asked.

"You're not big enough for the red ball yet." He said and she pouted a little, "But I have something better that is just for you, just like the big red ball is just for me." He paused, "There you go." He added revealing the small pink tennis ball.

"Wow!" She said, taking the little ball in her hands.

"You like it?" He asked.

"I love it, Uncle House, thank you so much!" She said, hugging him. He hugged her back and made eye contact with a Cuddy whose brain must have been overloaded with questions at that very moment.

"And I even got you some Hello Kitty stickers that you can put on the ball. So that nobody can take it away from you." He added.

"Wow! Thanks Uncle House!" She claimed.

"Can you do something for me?" He added.

"Sure?" She asked.

"You have to tell Uncle James that his Duckies can't beat my ball and the Hello Kitty stickers." He smirked.

"You're mean." She eyed him.

"As long as you like that."He joked and she smiled wickedly.

Around the same time, Kelly went to Cuddy. "Can I speak to you in private?" She asked.

Cuddy was startled by her request but nodded her head yes.

Cuddy told Kelly to follow her to her daughter's bedroom and she closed the door behind them, "So, what do you want?" she asked, folding her arms against her chest.

"I wanted to apologize for not reacting in a more proper way last night." She said.

"Yeah, you were pretty much laughing at me." Cuddy eyed her evilly.

"This really was a funny situation, Lisa." She said, "You have to know that House and I are none of the things-"Kelly tried.

"Did you or did you not sleep with him?" She asked, anger rising in her tone.

She sighed, "Two years ago he and I almost did." She said having chosen to tell Cuddy the whole truth, "And no, I didn't come to his place last night to sleep with him and I have never ever seen House as anything other than a friend."

Cuddy looked down and said, "So why didn't you sleep with him back then?" she paused, "I mean I've been assuming that he has been with women in the last four years, he's a man , that is just impossible for him to have not-"

"You are the first woman he has slept with in four years, Lisa." She sighed, "You were his last one and now you're his first."

Cuddy looked at her. She wanted to believe the woman in front of her. And she was very open to that possibility.

Kelly continued, "He and I almost did it because he was frustrated, he chose, "she stopped, to emphasize her point, "to put himself into this much trouble but he's still a man and a man is always miserable even at its perfection." She paused, "However, from all the things he would tell me about you while we were in Tokyo, I just had to put a stop to it because I felt I couldn't do that to you."

"But he wouldn't?" Cuddy frowned.

"Oh trust me, he did! I came onto him." She admitted, "He was saying he couldn't do that to Sanada, my ex-husband. This is why the both of us just couldn't go with it."

"Wow…" Cuddy trailed off.

"Have you been with other men, Lisa?" Kelly asked.

"If by other men you mean just flirting with a few, then no… Kelly, I haven't been with any other men." She admitted.

"Give him a chance. Give him his date. He is a good man, Lisa and even though he has trouble saying it, he does-" She tried.

"Whoops!" Wilson barged into the room, "Sorry, I was looking for a toy to hit House with because he has told Rachel my Duckies weren't as good as his Kitties." He explained, scratching his head in shame as he registered what he had just told them.

Both women started to laugh and without further words, they went back in the living room. Everything had been said.

* * *

Three hours later, Cuddy's place was a complete mess. Cameron, House and Serena had devoured the last chocolate cake. Most of the parents had come to pick up their kids. However Rachel was still playing with Grant Helmet, the little rebel of Pre School.

"Don't touch my ball!" She said as Grant took her pink ball away.

"What is yours is mine!" He retorted.

"No, it's not! You are not my friend; we just go to school together."She said.

"You invited me because you like me!" He said.

"No, I don't! I didn't want you to feel left out." She said, "Give me my ball back, you're mean!"

He started tickling her around her waist and she started to laugh uncontrollably. "Told you! You like mean me!"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, House was doing the dishes –as Wilson had asked him to, and from the corner of his eyes; he witnessed the whole scene between Grant and Rachel.

Suddenly someone brushed past his left side, "You do the dishes now?" the person asked.

He chuckled, "Your employee couldn't accept his defeat so I got punished."He said.

"Wilson knows Hello Kitty can't last forever." She remarked.

He met her eyes and warned her with them, "Is that a threat?"

"No, I'm just trying to be realistic." She said, her elbow resting on the edge of the sink.

"Well, you are wrong, Cuddy." He pointed in the direction of Rachel, "See those two? They're playing give me back my Hello Kitty ball." He paused and she raised an eyebrow at him, "None of them can let go of Hello Kitty and none of them is going to win."

"But Grant is cheating." She tried to follow his interpretation of things.

"Only because she is mean to not want to lend him her super ball!" He rolled his eyes.

"Grant is like the rebel of the school, I can see why she doesn't want to." She remarked.

"But she seems to enjoy playing his game anyway." He eyed her carefully.

"I think it's because she knows he likes her." She let out, the glint in her eyes a little too revealing.

"Do you like your Cherry tree?"He asked, not really changing the subject.

"I do, it's beautiful." The eye contact seemed forced but definitely not forced at the same time, it was their connection, their attraction more stubborn than the individuals they are. The world outside didn't exist anymore.

"I'll give you time." He said, looking down.

"I know." She paused and put her hand to his face, "Friday night."

House frowned, "I'm asking you out on a date here, House." She explained.

"You can't ask me out, I've asked you out first, remember?" He retorted, even though he was filled with relief on the inside that she hadn't given up on them.

"Then we'll both have something planned for the other." She dictated and kissed him on the corner of his mouth, eyes closed.

"I like the sound of that." He said, closing his eyes in an attempt to kiss her back.

"Don't get your hopes up." She said moving her mouth away from his, to kiss his cheek once, "I don't want you to hurt your leg." She smirked and whispered to his ear, "I know about the vicodin you took this morning."

He angled his mouth to have better access to her hear, "And I know about the bath tub story but I don't want you to have to explain that to me."He paused, "I've got to go home anyway, and Wilson only has a couple of hours he can spare for me before he goes back to Serena's dent." He said.

"We're not making any progress, are we?" She raised an eyebrow at him as he broke the physical contact.

"Oh, we are."He smirked, getting a small feel of her ass before he left the room.

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-**/End of Part 2. **


	22. Chapter 21

**Here's the begining of part III. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it's not that long but hopefully the next one will be. It's a little late, so please don't mind the awful writing (too much) and the -probably, many mistakes and typos. **

**Please review because I love your insights and since my imagination has been made of fail for the past few days, I'm sure some of you can speculate and so maybe (without changing the direction I'm about to take -yes, I still have a couple of ideas, lol) they will help me, I'm sure. :) **

* * *

**Part III of Tell Me?**

**Chapter 21: Tell me if you ever need holding.**

Today is the big day. Well, I'd say tonight is the big date…Okay, no it doesn't exactly rhyme but I'm not a song writer. I asked House once, a long time ago, if he wanted me to write lyrics for his melodies and you can all imagine what his reaction was. I'd better not talk about that, it put my hopes to the grave. Yes, you can stick your fingers down your throat but I'll never forget the fact that I could have become an artist. Anyway, it's the beginning of December and in my last entry I said Rachel would be turning four soon. Well she did and it was a great party, House has been kind. I'm starting to get used to this easier to be with jackass but kind hearted House. In a way he's still the same House except he has opened his eyes to the fact that maybe, just maybe happiness has been four floors down all along.

Cuddy is trying to stop smoking which is a big step and from the way I've seen them act around each other for the past week, I'd say their professional relationship has gotten back on some really good tracks. They're who they were four years ago, only progressing towards something that might get some sort of resolution tonight. This resolution being some sort of direction. His attentions are clear to her now; she knows he is ready for something. Something that could be big in my opinion. Sure, a part of him has changed but the two of them being in a relationship would be life changing… as in being House and Cuddy 'in a relationship'. If they ever admit that this will always be the closest to a relationship for the both of them.

As much as my relationship with Serena is amazing, there's a part of me that wishes I could have what they could/will have. However there's a part of me that just couldn't handle being in such a conflictual relationship for so long which is why Serena is my woman as Cuddy is House's woman. They are unique; they're bound to be together. They're made for each other, which is why what they have is unique. They thrive on games and this is what must make the sex a hell of a good time. I seriously can't believe I'm talking about their sex life.

Only, I wonder if the three dates rule applies to them.

I seriously have to stop watching Gossip Girl.

Xoxo (first time, I'm typing that, I swear!)

* * *

"House, I knew you'd be here. You can't even hide properly." She said barging in his office.

"What if I'm not here?" He replied, seated on his big chair.

"Excuse me?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"What if I'm just an illusion or a sex fantasy?" He paused, "What would you ask me to do for you?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"I'd ask you to give me my car keys back." She suggested even though it was clear it was an order.

"Sorry, you're going to have to ask me for something more graphic." He said, folding his arms.

"Give me my car keys back or I will squeeze your head out." She warned him.

"A little too graphic, in my humble opinion!" He joked.

"House, I have to go home and change before-"She tried.

"Once you're done with your administrative duties, I'm picking you up here which is why you won't need your car."He smirked.

She arched a brow at him, "Is that your way of saying I look perfect no matter what I wear?"

"Like I would ever say that!" He coughed, "I just want to annoy you by giving you a ride on my…motorcycle of course!" he smirked.

"I am not getting on that deadly machine you call a bike." She shook her head in protest.

"This is my part of the date; I get to do whatever I want." He retorted.

"This wasn't the plan and you know it. You don't get to change-"She tried.

"Instead of picking you up at your place, I'm picking you up here. It doesn't make much difference; it will make you look more like a hooker though." He smirked.

"Then I'm going to change my plans and you're going to be pissed!" She said, smirking.

"If this is your way of telling me that there isn't going to be any nookie tonight, I'm giving you back your car keys right away." He said.

"Men." She rolled her eyes, "This is our first date ever and all you could think of was how to get your ways with me?"

"Well duh-"He tried.

"Can't say I'm surprised. Still, you're not going to win me that easily." She cut him off.

"Hey, it's about time I take advantage of you because so far, you've been the one taking advantage of me!" He said, the memories of the previous week rushing back to her.

"I'm not Mother Theresa." She remarked.

"But I'm Gregory House." He smirked.

"Then Gregory House is going to be really disappointed."She retorted, laughing and about to head out.

"You know-", he paused, "you would be having sex with me right now if it weren't for your stupid principles." He said.

"Who says I have principles?"She eyed him carefully and it turned him on just enough for her to keep going, "If you give me back my car keys, I will sleep with you right now on your desk." She offered.

He thought about it for a second and then said, "Sorry, I can't do that. Your libido is going to have to wait until tonight." He smirked, feeling extremely victorious as he exposed the keys dangled them.

"Give me my car keys back now!"She said rushing back to him.

"Why do you want your keys so much?" He asked, "There must be another reason than you needing to get dressed für mich or pour moi, if you think French is sexier than German!"

"Now, I feel sorry for you because you won't get any of the extremes tonight." She eyed him carefully, straddling him slowly.

"German and French are two extremes?" He asked, slightly taken aback now.

"Neither bondage, nor that special kiss I am so good at." She challenged him.

"You really are into bondage then! God, this is weird, I never thought you really were into that but I'm willing to give it a try if that's really your thing. After all I've been spreading rumors about the possibility for yea-"He tried as she moved her head closer to his. "But I admit the French extreme is way better, it's true that you are good at it." He said, wanting to experience the French extreme so bad at that moment.

"My keys then." She whispered.

"No." He said, his mouth inches from hers.

"Then, the more than one date rule will apply to you. Besides I trust you to make this date, whatever it is, a complete and total mess. You can't do normal, House." She said, getting off him.

As she was heading out, House mumbled, "That's what you think Cuddy."

* * *

In her office, Cuddy dialed a number that had become really important to her recently.

"Kelly?" she paused over the phone, "It's Lisa."

"Hey Lisa!" Kelly said, "I was about to call you actually."

"Well, you first then." Cuddy offered.

"I just wanted to wish you a good night tonight. That's it." She said.

"Thanks." She blushed, "I'm a little scared, actually."

"I think he is as scared as you are." She paused, "Trust me.

"I don't know, it's just that he has changed small details and I fear I might not be able to do what you and I have planned." She added.

"Well, you have to remember that it was his idea at first so he's going to do anything in his power to prevent you from doing what you want to do." Kelly suggested.

"True. But I can't miss out on my part of the date." Cuddy paused," It's an important part of me and him, I think. I want it to feel right."

"You'll figure something out." Kelly said.

"I hope so." Cuddy said.

"Call your babysitter and tell her it's going to be a long night!" Kelly said.

* * *

"I just want her to ride my bike!" House claimed.

"But what are you trying to accomplish with that!" Wilson asked once more.

"I want her to become familiar with the beast." He blinked.

"No, you want her to be stuck with you no matter what." Wilson explained, "You don't want her date to win over yours so you're going to trap her somehow so that there is no competition to start with."

"Well, this was my idea!" He said.

"You are so childish. You two deserve each other, seriously!" Wilson rolled his eyes at his friend, "It's a constant game about who is going to fail. "

"It's not about who's going to fail, it's about folding!" House retorted.

"Just get married already, seriously!" Wilson said, heading out of the coma patient's room.

* * *

He had been waiting for about ten minutes. His bike was parked not too far from the hospital's entrance.

"6:30 PM sharp. You're early." She said as she came out of the hospital.

"I didn't want you to have the time to think of ways to escape me and the fury of my bike." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"God…" She rolled her eyes, "Come on, let's get over with this."

"Oh yeah… I thought you'd be easy but not that easy. I'm a lucky guy!" He smirked, handing her his helmet.

"You're not going to wear one?" She asked, hoping he didn't have a death wish this soon.

"Well, there's only one so you are." He said, hoping on his bike and starting the engines.

"House, this is dangerous." She said.

"Nothing is as dangerous but us, babe!" He waggled his eyebrows at her again.

"As much as I appreciate the effort with the metaphor, you know damn well that it is risky and you might get arrested for it, you know that." She said, still holding the helmet in her hands.

"Just wear it and hop on. You trust me, don't you?" He said, slightly annoyed now.

"I do, which is why if you're not wearing one, I'm not going to wear one either-"She tried, more interested in this small game than the kiss at that moment, which was very foolish from her part.

"Are you insane?" He said.

"If we have an accident, at least the risk of us being injured equally is greater." Cuddy shrugged.

"You don't get on that bike without that helmet." He said.

"Then you lose and I win." She said but very seriously, "I thought you would trust yourself-"She tried.

"I do but what about your little Rachel?" His gaze as serious as hers and without looking away he said, "I know it's a game but don't you think you should pass on this one."

"When you like someone, you do stupid things." Cuddy pushed, using his own thoughts against him.

"Fine." He scratched his beard."At the first gas station, I'll buy another helmet for me but in the meantime, you're going to wear mine."

"Okay." She nodded.

"I won't go slowly though." He remarked.

"You never go slowly anyway." She retorted.

He nodded at that comment with a smirk and she put the helmet on and got on the bike, hiking up her skirt to place her legs on each side properly.

"There's nothing hotter than that." He said, checking out her stockinged legs.

"What if I told you, I'm not wearing anything under that skirt?" She whispered to his ears, circling his waist with her arms, holding him just enough.

The engines suddenly made a roaring sound and he said, "You better hang on harder than that." , trying to forget her sultry words.

And he drove off. A couple of minutes later, he had found a gas station and had parked his bike. As he walked in the direction of the store to buy a helmet, Cuddy was letting her gaze go from his sexy jacket to his black jeans and all she wanted at that instant was to scream, "He's a mean man but he's my man." And words like "you look hot." She really wanted to be twenty years old again. She knew House at the time but only as a legend, the kind of man any student wanted to hang out with and likely sleep with. He wasn't the hottest man per se but there was something about him that got all of them to their knees begging for a date with him –which in the end made him look hot and sexy as hell. And most of the time, they would get some and be left alone curled up in a ball weeping in shame and with no more House to comfort them. She would have never done that but somehow twenty years later; he had been the one almost begging for a date with her. Maybe this was really worth waiting for after all. As he came outside the shot a few minutes later, he had a black helmet under his arm, it made him look younger and the fact that he looked so confident made her feel like she was twenty years old again, in college and so ready to play hard to get with a man like him and ready to make him beg like he would make all the females beg. But beg for what, exactly? The sex was a done deal in a way. She wanted to make him understand that outside the challenge, there were things she had never been ready to feel that she was ready to embrace with open arms tonight and hopefully for a long time.

"We could do it on your bike." She murmured as he straddled his bike and was about to put his helmet on.

"I'm not going to lose." He said his voice stern and confident.

"You have everything to win though." She said.

"But you don't think you have much to lose?" He asked.

"It's just a matter of perspective and principles." She said, sounding even hornier than she thought she would at first.

"For years I've been telling everybody that you were always the one coming onto me. Nobody would believe me." He rolled his eyes, closed the clasp of his helmet and started the engine.

"Maybe you're just a little too slow sometimes." She added, not really knowing if he could hear her or not. He started to drive, slowly.

And pushed on the accelerator and drove off. As he drove on to an unknown place, quite fast while still being careful not to risk both their lives for the simple thrive of driving extremely fast, Cuddy's proximity sent would sent more shivers down his spine than the experience of a fast ride. However, all she could do was to sense him, vibrating under her. His jacket not warm enough for her liking, she decided that as soon as they would come across a stop sign, she'd put her arms under his jacket and experience the real warmth of him. As they came to that eventual stop, she did so and it startled him. She wasn't caressing him but it almost felt like it. She wasn't holding on for dear life, she was just holding him. It felt good, it felt natural but it felt too good and too natural. She had a plan and he couldn't figure out where her plan –whatever that was, would take them. He knew where he wanted to take her, that part was okay-ish to handle but he had no idea where she wanted to take him and her confidence was scaring him just enough for him to use the breaks as much as he could. Holding secrets is what they've always been good at (except for the not so important ones, those have always been easy to figure out) but as long as they're able to hold on to each other, not even a stop sign or breaks could put an end to it. During the whole ride, she never released her grip on him and not even once did he lose his grip on his bike. As long as he would trust himself with her, she would trust him.

* * *


	23. Chapter 22

Sorry for not updating as fast again but hey you can't always get what you want. ;) :P Some of you have said this was the last part, I'm not sure this is going to be the last part yet, I mean, maybe but maybe I'll have so much love coming from you guys that I'll want to write a sequel! (and if I have the time to do so, hehe) ;) Also, this one is not a very long chapter I know but I have all day tomorrow to write the next one and hopefully it'll be very much longer. I think I'll be able to upload it in the evening (if my muse is willing to give me a hand of course!).

Also in response to , I'm trying to find that balance between the deep thought process and the banter/snarky comments again, it's not easy because it's a complicated exploration, lol. I really hope you're going to enjoy the next few chapters and also, wow! Almost a hundred reviews, that's like wow so amazing, really. Thank you so much again for reading and reviewing, giving me tips and all. :) Anyway, on to the chapter, enjoy! xxxx

* * *

**Chapter 22: Tell me of a first time.**

House stopped the bike in front of a fancy –but not extremely fancy restaurant.

As he got off the bike and took his helmet off, he looked at Cuddy who was still on the bike, facing the restaurant. She took her helmet off slowly and said, "This is the last place I'd ever thought you would take me." She paused, eyes wide, "You are very traditional indeed."

The cliché of her hair blowing in the wind had turned him upside down and no matter how much he had been trying to fight the thought away, he couldn't help but say it, "I like your hair blowing in the wind like that."

Cuddy blushed, completely taken aback by his comment, "Thank you." She said.

"It's definitely an improvement from you looking like a disheveled whore." He then added.

"If only you had let me go on to get changed." She retorted, getting off the bike, pretending his last comment hadn't hit her ears.

"It'll look more professional, just like a business meeting." He remarked.

"Never thought you wanted us to look professional since it's a date." She stated, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I have a date with a professional, a very experienced call girl." He claimed, "And I'm a professional in bed."

She rolled her eyes, "If you keep talking like that, this date will end in a real business dinner." She warned him.

"You had another idea about how this night should end?" He wagged his eyebrows at her.

"In me not having to pay the bill no matter what." She smirked, she moved toward the entrance of the restaurant, "Are you going to be a gentleman and open the door for me?"She asked.

"Do I get a blowjob if I do, L.C, this is going to be your hooker name for tonight by the way." He said, not moving a feet.

She groaned and opened the door herself, "God, I'm hungry, hope your wage will handle it." She said, holding the door for him. He walked slowly to her, taking as much time as he could, using his sexy look on her.

"If you add my body to that, I think I'll die and go to heaven." He smirked and put his hand on the door so that she would get inside already.

* * *

Inside the restaurant, Cuddy couldn't believe her eyes. It wasn't a French restaurant (except maybe for some of the most regular meals on the big menu near the entrance she had time to notice) but it looked like a typical Parisian Brasserie.

"This is a gorgeous place, I'm impressed." Cuddy said as she and House sat at their table, taking their menus from the waiter.

"I thought you'd like the Art Nouveau style." He said, following her on her small talk, "And even though there is French cuisine because the chef is French, it's not a French restaurant."

He was wearing that blue sky shirt she loves on him. In the end they both looked pretty casual but it worked with the place according to House, "In France, people wouldn't dress as classy as these people in the room."

"Am I supposed to get something deeper from that small talk?" She asked, curious.

"Only that you might look like a whore who doesn't really know what she's doing in such a nice place to these people but, to me you look like a Parisian." He stated, taking a look at the menu.

"Is that your way of saying I'm so perfect you want to french me right now?" She said sultry, raising an eyebrow at him.

He tilted his back away from the menu and gave her a sexy smirk, "I'm just saying that everything is subjective."

"But us?" She tried him.

"If you think for a second that you and I are anything but ordinary, you are right." He paused, "We shouldn't be here since I can't handle myself in public and… since you can't keep your foot in your high heel." He frowned, sensing her foot on his knee.

"I'm supposed to act like a hooker, aren't I?"She smirked.

House looked at the people around him and saw a couple of pair of eyes fixing what was going on under the table… or between them from the switching of their gazes.

"Tu veux que je rates mais je gagnerais... Mais je ne sais vraiment pas si l'on devrait coucher ensemble ce soir." He spoke.

"Did you just speak French?" She eyed him suspiciously, getting her foot off his knee and crossing her legs. "I heard the word 'coucher', I know that word." She looked at him, unimpressed.

"You're still making this a test." He remarked.

"It's a test, it's a dance, it's an invasion of intimacy and privacy, it's a poker game, and it is whatever you think it is." She paused and made a sign to the waiter to come their way, "Have you ordered yet?"

"Why would you say a poker game?" He asked, fairly intrigued, "I know what I want." He added.

"You really think that in four years I didn't take the time to go through Wilson's diary myself?" Cuddy said as the waiter arrived, House's eyes grew wide from her comment. "So, I'll have a Grilled Steak with Béarnaise Sauce and French fries." She said.

"I'll take the same thing." He added as the waiter wrote their orders down. "But, don't you think your ass is big enough already?" Cuddy pretended she hadn't registered as the waiter gave House a shocked look.

"And get we'll have the most expensive red… hmm, Bordeaux-"She started, glaring at House, "you have."

House rolled his eyes, "Most expensive doesn't mean it's going to be the best flavor wise."

The waiter simply nodded, not even able to register enough to tell them the price.

"Sometimes, you just want to take risks." She said.

"You took a risk with me. You got me cheap, remember?"He paused, "And I am the best." He added and she remained speechless, knowing that this had never been about the wine anyway, "you could have hired someone else, a high priced diagnostician that isn't half as good as me, but still you didn't."

She didn't answer, instead she was waiting impatiently for the waiter to come back with the bottle of wine and she hoped he wouldn't stop talking.

"Anyway, you've been through Wilson's diary. I assume you've read the pages where he explained me better than anybody else, am I correct?"He paused but never looked away, "The pages that led me to make you crave for me for all these years… that led me to give you one of the best SEX of your life." He said, loud enough for the rest of the people in the restaurant to hear.

Cuddy couldn't take it anymore, "Why give me time House?" she said, raising her arms slightly, "You better explain yourself now because as much as this never ending poker game as Wilson calls it … this thing that led you to me because YOU kissed me first that night, remember?!" She paused, "I'm seriously tired of this."

"Sanctus Saint Emilion Grand Cru-"The waiter started, presenting the bottle.

"Chateau LaTour Figeac?" House asked even though it was more a statement since he could read what was written on the label.

"Yes sir." The waiter nodded.

"Indeed, that one can be really good." He said, his gaze landing back on Cuddy.

The waiter opened the bottle and poured the expensive liquid in House's glass. The waiter was on stand by as House tasted it. House let his mouth absorb the wine in order to get a finer taste of it, Cuddy couldn't take her eyes off him because the bastard was taking his time as much as it was excessively hot to witness.

House swallowed it and said, "It definitely tastes better than Cuddy's sense of humor."

She didn't like that at all and instead of having her roll her eyes like he was used to get as a response from her, she kicked his leg with her high heel under the table. The waiter saw pain shot through House's face and asked, "Sir, are you alright? Is the wine-"He tried.

"It's fine." He paused, as he started to massage his leg, "Go away." He said.

The dumbfounded waiter who mustn't have been more than twenty-five, poured Cuddy a glass and went back to his routine.

"Was that really necessary?" He asked, still in pain.

"Was it really necessary for you to insult me when I'm being extremely serious?" She murmured, angry.

"It hurts!" He said, "I didn't even bring my vicodin." He added.

She suddenly gulped her glass and rose up from her chair, "Meet me in the bathroom." She said, heading for the women's room.

House watched her go, she still had that sway to her hips that looked as sexy as hell. He had no idea what her intentions were but he knew that right there he couldn't escape the possibility of a more intimate moment with Cuddy.

* * *

House had to limp his way in the direction of the ladies room because of the pain jolting through his leg and as he came inside, he saw there were no women. He sighed with relief but then saw no sign of Cuddy.

"Cuddy?" He said his voice small.

"Second door on the left." He heard her say.

He opened it and saw Cuddy, standing there, tapping her foot against the floor arms folded against her chest as if she had been waiting for him for longer than thirty seconds.

She forced him inside and closed the door lock behind him. "Drop your pants." She commanded.

"Never thought that angry-you would mean ready-for-some-nookie you!" He eyed her carefully.

"Sit down on the toilet seat." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Are you about to do what I think you're about to do?" He asked, almost smirking in anticipation.

"Now!" She urged him, "We only have about ten minutes or so before they bring us our meals and I'm really hungry."

"Is this some sort of joke where you're going to leave me with practically no clothes on-" He started unzipping his jeans, "where I'm going to have to leave this restaurant with most women devouring my perfect body and most men pretending they're mocking me?"

"I will if you don't just do it." She sighed, her back against the door.

He knew he was in for something and that curiosity would always take the better of him. He dropped his pants and sat down on the toilet seat.

She kneeled down before him.

"Oh yeah…" He said, tilting his head back slightly.

She could tell he was joking, "Don't push your luck." She told him as she rested her eyes on his scar. She put her hands a little under it and started massaging his leg.

However the gesture felt like an apology he knew his stubbornness had been the reason why she had kicked him in the leg in the first place.

"I have earned it." He joked, sighing from the wonders her hands were doing on his leg. She was easing his pain and that sight of her was somehow the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It wasn't something new per se but it felt extremely intimate. He didn't deserve that apology.

"Of course." She frowned but smiled at him.

"Okay, I have deserved it." He rolled his eyes. "But if I get a hard on because of this little display of affection, don't get mad!" He said.

"I'll just run away with your pants." She smiled, her massage getting stronger.

"God, you're good-"He tried as the pattern she was tracing with her hands started to erase the pain and replace it with something unconditionally appealing.

"Gee, thanks." She paused, "And none of the women that might come inside will think there's a man in the ladies room and-"She tried.

"And that some woman is giving him a blow job?" He smirked.

"Maybe if you would stop playing games I would be giving you one right now instead of having to massage your leg that I've just kicked because you're an idiot!" She stated, loud enough for him to get that it mattered to her that he answered her question but not loud enough for it to be heard beyond the echoing walls of the bathroom.

House looked at her hands and said, "Haven't you ever considered that maybe, just maybe I'm playing all these games with you because I don't want you to be able to see how much I don't want this, us, this date to be a complete and utter disaster?" She looked up at him and saw his eyes glisten. "Because everything that involves us is meant to be a complete and utter disaster." He paused, "The first time you and I … did it, it was a mess, because that's who we were, who we are." He kept going with that seriousness in his tone that would always make her fear the worse. "And as you can see, my leg can still hurt pretty bad when it wants to!" He finished.

"But it's not a handicap anymore." She uttered, "You've proven us and to yourself that you can still be an amazing doctor, that you can move the good kind of mess to a good thing." She stopped her hands from moving and looked at them, "I haven't changed that much, with you, I still have high expectations too, you know?" She murmured. She wasn't looking at him but he couldn't stop staring at her.

House didn't know what to answer to that, it meant everything and anything at the same time. It could be about the fact that he had told her a million times that this, him, would always be the only thing she would get. That he could never be the one she would want him to be. But at the same time, she doesn't want him to change and she has showed him that a million times before. This middle ground has to end and he knows it, they need to move forward and in order to do that, he had to go with his guts and the first thing that passes through his mind, "You're beautiful." He whispered.

She raised her eyes to meet his blue ones and saw a small smile forming on his lips. It came as a shock to her but it also came as a revelation. He was being the person he had no control over, letting his desire for her speak before his brain. "Thank you." She responded, honestly and placed her hands back slightly up on his scar. As her eyes travelled back to it, they came in contact with his groin, "And I really can see that." She remarked, eyes wide.

"Great, another almost hard on!" He said, finally realizing and actually sensing what would soon become an erection.

"Another one?!" She raised an eyebrow at him, bewildered.

"Yeah, you almost gave me one when you were letting Partypants' foot take over Sister Lisa Cuddy's with my knee under the table earlier." He admitted, getting up.

Startled by his sudden move she asked, "Has it lessen?"

"Oh yeah!" He joked, putting his jeans back on, not deflecting but playing with the blow job pun instead of being all explanatory with the actual pain.

The swift move of the zipper echoing throughout the entire room, "Ten minutes are up." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she turned back on her heels to open the door, shaking her head in disbelief.

Near the sinks, House saw evidence indicating that they would both have an insanely bad reputation when they would eventually come back to their table, "Someone forgot her bag." He pointed at the item next to the sink in front of them, "I told you you'd pass as a hooker."

Cuddy fumed internally and exited the bathroom with House following after her and of course, smirking.

* * *


	24. Chapter 23

I've decided to devide the chapter into two parts just because I'm a tease. I might be able to post the rest of it within the next 8 hours or so. I really like this part, so I hope you'll enjoy it as well! xD And yes, I can't wait for you to read this and then to read the rest.

Don't forget to review this chapter and if you feel like it, BEG ME to update the rest! xD I promise if you, you'll get that next chapter really really soon! ^^

* * *

**Chapter 2****3: Tell me about your end of it.**

As expected a few people were eyeing them carefully, their respective frowns giving away more than necessary in Cuddy's opinion.

As they went back to their table, House rolled his eyes at the looks and told them, "She JUST gave me a massage! I know you can't see it but I'm a pseudo-ex-cripple!"

Cuddy sat down and with a fake smile mumbled through gritted teeth, "I can always cripple you back if you don't shut it!"

"But then we won't be able to have sex for the rest of our lives!" He whined as he sat down opposite her.

"Grilled Steak with Béarnaise Sauce and French fries." The waiter said, startling them a little.

"Gee! What are you a zombie?" House paused, putting a hand to his heart, "I almost had a heart attack for Pete's sake!"

The waiter said nothing and kept his stern, composed face to the task of serving them as properly as one could in this situation. He put down their plates in front of them and left saying, "The chef hopes the amount of oil and butter in this meal will make your cholesterol jump to the roof."

"Yeah, I don't believe that see, the Chef knows me and he definitely wouldn't hope this extremely rare condition of 'one regular meal to cause death' to happen to me." House assured the boy.

The waiter decided the older man wasn't worth the fight and went back to his business.

"Why wouldn't I be able to have sex for the rest of my life?" She asked, taking a French fries from House's plate.

"Hey that's mine!" He tried to take it back but she had gulped it down already. So he stole one from her plate instead.

"Let's share." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sharing!" He started to rant, "Also, you can only have sex with me because I'm the only man who has ever gotten you to climax so high, almost every time."

"You're not that good, House." She retorted, attacking her steak.

"I'm paying you to say otherwise, remember?" He remarked, gulping down more fries.

"Are you calling me a whore again because you're paying for dinner tonight?" She arched a brow at him.

"You know you want me to be your pimp!" He smirked.

"There are some pretty fine men out there, House." She took a bite of her steak, "I could always sell myself to another one of your kind."

"You could but you wouldn't, because I don't share. I've stolen you before, I can do it again." He stated matter-of-factly.

"And then you're going to say I always run back to you?" She asked, handing him her empty glass of wine for him to refill it.

He took the bottle in his hands and did so, slowly, never leaving her eyes, "Like I said, I'm not the sharing type."

"You are sharing right now." She said, talking about the wine.

"I share things with you, for you and for me. There's always reason as to why I might be sharing." He said, putting the bottle back on the table.

"And you think that would prevent me from looking somewhere else?" She asked, taking a zip of her glass.

"I think you wouldn't even go that far." He said, very serious. And within the next five minutes, they mostly ate in silence.

"Let's assume I would?" She broke the silence, knowing there was no point in trying to have him admit whatever that was on his mind other than with a subjectivity expressed in metaphors.

"I would never share, no matter what." He repeated.

"So you would rather die than see me with someone else?" She asked, very curious.

"I would make you miserable and your life a living hell." He remarked, never leaving her eyes.

"That's very hypocritical from your part." She paused, "Tell me if I'm getting this right, you wouldn't want me to find happiness unless it's with you?"

"You had four years to try that."He retorted, "Since you have never gotten over me, I can only conclude that you and I are meant to be and that no matter how much you think you could find happiness with someone else, you would still be miserable. I would just be adding fuel to the fire of your miserable existence because like I said, I can't share you."

"You don't get to pick a timeline for these sorts of things to happen, House." She said, "Maybe I just had to see your bastard self one last time to realize you and I are everything except meant to be."

"You want dessert?" He asked, looking away, this conversation wasn't over though.

"No, thanks." She said, "I need a smoke." She added, getting up.

"I'm going to pay." He mumbled.

"Gregory House!" House heard being called after by a person with a very pronounced French accent. "You're here, buddy!"

"Hi Francis." House nodded, turning around to face the chef.

"I haven't seen you in like four years or something!" Francis tried to picture a precise timeline.

"Yeah, I had to go away for a while. I was tired of your horrible face." House smiled.

"Haha! You haven't changed. Why didn't you tell me you were here?" He said, hugging House.

"My date isn't really going too well so, I figured-"He tried, being quite honest.

"Are you on a date with who I think it is?" Francis asked, smiling.

House nodded, "I was on my way to pay actually-" he tried.

"Non non non non! You are not paying for anything tonight!" Francis paused, "You've never had to pay for dinner here before, you won't have to pay this time either and let me add this: especially tonight!"

"The bottle of wine is a Saint-Émilion worth about $300." House stated.

"Okay, you pay for the wine but the rest is on me." Francis said, "And I'm sorry but you two aren't leaving until you've tried my last dessert, I've named it the House of Love."

"You're kidding me, right?" House asked, bewildered.

"I am not!" Francis smiled.

"And this place is the House of an idiot." House shook his head in disbelief.

Francis laughed, "Aren't we all idiots, House?"

House smiled at that familiar sentence, it reminded him of why he was sort of friendly and kind with this great cook.

"I'm going to go outside and urged her back inside for dessert then." House said, on his way out.

He saw her at the entrance, she was trying to light her cigarette but the wind wasn't in favor of heavy smoking.

"Francis…"He tried, "The chef wants us to-"

"There's a bus coming this way, maybe I should go home." She said.

"House of Love!" He exclaimed.

"What?" She eyed him suspiciously, letting go of her attempts to light her cigarette.

"That's his last creation, the dessert he wants us to try." His eyes were almost pleading.

"He called one of his desserts the House of Love?" Cuddy stood there, bewildered.

"I know! How stupid is that!" He smiled, scratching his head.

"I don't know." She said.

"Come on, you hate me, I get it." He paused, "But at least you can get free dessert from one of the best chefs I've had the chance to meet."

Suddenly, Chef Francis barged in on them and said, "Come on House!" He paused, "Oh hello, Mademoiselle Cuddy, it's a pleasure meeting you."

"How do you know my-"She tried.

"Come on, dessert is on its way!" He added and went back inside.

House had his hands in his pocket and shrugged, "I think that was more of an order than an offer. Besides I prefer your ass to get bigger than you getting lung cancer."

She chuckled, "Okay." She said.

"Cool." He said, showing her the way back inside.

They went back to their table in silence and Francis brought the dessert on a single plate to them.

"And for our two lovebirds, here's my new special." He started, loud enough for the entire room to hear, "House of Love! A molten chocolate cake with some caramel ice cream on the side and two cinnamon flavored candy canes on the top of the cake."

House and Cuddy saw that the two candy canes were forming a heart.

"Oh no, you didn't…"House's voice trailed off.

"I've made this recipe and named it after the man seated at this table, ladies and gentlemen." He paused, "This is the man right here, Dr. Gregory House, the greatest jerk I have ever met and an amazing friend." He then winked at House and Cuddy, "You two have a great dessert tonight." He then turned to House and murmured, "Give me the three hundred for the wine, now."

House sighed and gave Francis his VISA card, "You know the canes aren't necessary anymore."

"I've noticed but your cane is now invisible… just like hers has always been." He said, "Now I'm going to yell at your waiter. Have a good nigh." He told Cuddy and went back to his kitchen.

"I have a cane?" She paused, not sure what to think of that, "And it's invisible?"

"Yeah, I used to tell him your heels were like my cane." He trailed off, "A way to cope with life and discriminations." He paused, "But he would say that my cane was there and could be seen. So now that I don't have a cane anymore, it's invisible just like your heels."

"I think I'm going to eat because that is way too philosophical for me." She said, taking a bite of the molten chocolate cake.

"I'm not sure I understand it well myself but I think it means you and I are big liars and that we want to be meant to be together." He shrugged, taking a bit himself.

"I thought you never shared." She said, looking at the small cake that was meant for two.

"Here, I have no other options." He smiled at her.

"I still can't believe you actually do know the chef… and that he likes you." She said, bringing one of the candy canes to her mouth.

"I diagnosed him a couple of years ago and ever since that day, the guy loves me and has cooked me wonders." House shrugged and attacked the ice cream.

"I think it's true. The people you've diagnosed, they all love you somehow." She said; ready to take the other candy cane.

House put his hand on hers, stopping hers from stealing the other precious half of the dessert. "I don't want you to become sick, but if you're ever eager to have me figuring you out, just give me a sign." He said.

"Are you going to let me have it?" She asked, arching a brow at him.

"If I do let you have that other candy cane, I'll think of me as your fantasy of a hunk of burning love. If I don't let you eat it, we will stay in that giant gap between love and hate."

"Who says I'm going to eat it if you do let me have it?" She questioned, trying to escape an all too soon unraveling.

"You haven't stopped playing me all night which means you're as scared as I am." He paused, "But you're also hiding something from me." He added, letting go of her hand.

She started to suck on the small candy cane and said, "Sometimes, I just don't want to share even if we have options." She said, getting up and walking her way out.

House remained pensive for a few seconds at the table. He wondered what the hell she was on about. And that's when he realized she had left with her, well, his helmet. She was going to steal his bike. House took his own helmet in hands and rushed out of the restaurant. Outside he saw that Cuddy was nowhere near his bike. He could hear the roaring engines of the bus on the other side of the road. Then it hit him, she must have got on the bus. House put his helmet on and started his motorcycle's engines to chase after one very secretive Cuddy.

* * *

Cuddy was indeed on the bus, she was alone at this hour. It was the driver's last shift and he was listening to Do You Love Me by The Contours from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack and she hoped House had gotten the hint, she hoped that it would be a fairly hard puzzle for him to decipher. From her seat, she could see the trees and the very large and empty road ahead. The bus driver wasn't going too fast but fast enough to make the ride enough of a thrill for her. She was scared but not because he could piss her off like he had right before he had convinced her to come back inside for dessert, but, because the place she wanted him to meet her was a place –for that twisted mind of hers, where there would be no turning back.

_You broke my heart _

_'Cause I couldn't dance _

_You didn't even want me around _

_And now I'm back, to let you know _

_I can really shake 'em down_

And that's when she saw him, riding his bike on the left side of the road, chasing after the bus. His bike could go a hundred times faster than the bus but this would be a race to him. A challenge, a competition, he was trying to show off. She smiled watching him look at her instead of the road ahead.

"You're going to kill yourself!" She shouted, opening the bus window.

"What?" He asked.

_Well now tell me baby (tell me baby) _

_Mmm, do you like it like this (do you like it like this) _

"DON'T LOOK AT ME! LOOK AHEAD!" She screamed from the top of her lungs.

"YOU'RE THE ONLY HOT THING I CAN LOOK AT!" He said.

_Tell me (tell me) _

_Tell me_

She rolled her eyes but then saw a car coming his way and yelled, "HOUSE, WATCH OUT!"

House had been watching the road only he had been paying more attention to her than the lane but as soon as he heard her say that he turned his eyes back on the road ahead and used his breaks to try and avoid one deadly collision with the aforementioned car that had come his way.

Cuddy saw no collision but as the car went by, she couldn't see House anymore and panic rushed through her, she moved from her seat and went to the far end of the bus. She looked through the big window for any sign of House and was about to yell at the driver to stop the bus when she looked down and saw him right behind the bus, alive and completely intact.

_Do you love me? (Do you love me?) _

_Now, do you love me? (Do you love me?) _

The bastard winked at her, smiling and she hit the window with her bare hand from the huge scare his irresponsibility had just made her undergo. She groaned and crashed back down on the nearest seat.

_Now, do you love me? (Do you love me?) _

_(Now, now, now)_

Cuddy tried to get back to her senses and when the bus reached her stop, she waved the driver goodnight and got off the bus.

She saw House's bike coming her way, slowing down before it came to a halt.

House stopped the engines and said as he took of his helmet, "I love the way the wind blows on you."

"You could have killed yourself out there!" She said, raising her arms in protest.

"I have some mad skills that I can always pull off when you get me in dangerous situations." He said, moving closer to her.

"Of course this is always my fault!" She rolled her eyes. "You are a danger to yourself!" She hit his arm, quite gently compared to the kick in the leg at the begining of the night.

"I wanted to impress you." He waggled his eyebrows.

"You don't have to try and kill yourself to impress me."She paused, "If only I wasn't the center of your attention sometimes."

"Beauty can kill the beast, you know?" He teased her as he reached for her personal space.

"Please tell me this isn't a reference to the remake of King Kong from 2005." She said, closing her eyes in shame for remembering the ridiculous quote.

"Yep, Wilson and I watched the movie a couple of days ago, although I don't remember if it was the actual or porn version-" He tried, smirking but suddenly added, "Wait a minute… I know this place." Moving his gaze from her eyes to the huge building behind her.

"Yes, you do." She said, "But this time, when I outrun you, chase after me calmly." She warned him.

"Is this sentence supposed to be a metaphor this time?" He asked, arching a brow at her.

"No, I'm really going to outrun you." She paused and in less than two seconds, she started running in the direction of Princeton's Marriott Hotel.

House smiled and started to walk, definitely chasing after her.

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	25. Chapter 24

**As promised THE chapter. I really love it and so I hope you will. Although I have only re-read it once (with my bloodshot eyes that can't register mistakes, syntax errors or typos - so you'll excuse me for that as it's 4:30 in the morning. Thank God, I didn't go out tonight, lol) I think I've written something consistent enough for you to enjoy... well, I really hope so, lol. (as usual, if you can listen to the songs, do so!)**

**By the way, we've reached more than a hundred reviews! Congrats to you guys! ;) Thx so much for reading and reviewing again and I want you to send me your reviews/critics as soon as you're done reading! **

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**Chapter 24: Tell me of ****a smoky place.**

House had taken his time. He knew she wouldn't try to escape anyway. He walked inside the Marriott and went for the bar. He was almost a hundred percent certain he would see her there, just like he had once before. What was her end of the game? He wasn't sure and it frightened him. Four years later, he wasn't so sure he knew her by heart anymore.

He could hear the first few notes of one of the most famous songs ever, Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer. Of course Jon Bon Jovi was born in New Jersey; that has to count for something when you hear a song like that in New Jersey. House's constant thinking wasn't really an annoyance at that moment as he was drawn to something that went beyond predictability.

As his steps followed the music, he found himself at the nightclub-ish bar of the hotel. Through the dim light and flashing lights, he looked for her at the bar but she wasn't there, drowning her heart with God only knows how many shot of Tequila, definitely not like last time. He then looked for her in the corners where most of the tables were. No sign of her, maybe the pattern had changed. Maybe this wasn't where he was supposed to be. Not now, not at eleven thirty at night.

_We're half way there __– _

Maybe the song is more than just a coincidence and so House looks up and there, before him, spotlights hitting her slightly opened shirt and her bossy hiked up skirt, she's holding onto her heels, singing and dancing bare feet.

_Livin' on a prayer__ –_

She kept waving her hands at him; her hands were calling him, her index asking him to meet her at the center of the dance floor. House left his helmet on a table and took off his jacket.

_Take my hand and we'll make it_

_I swear - livin' on a prayer._

He walked to her, very much excited by the sight before him as much as he was dreading her intentions.

_She says: We've got to hold on to what we've got_

"Last time I heard that song with you, you were drunk." He said, closing the gap the artificial light created between them.

'_It__ doesn't make a difference if we make it or not._

She let go of her heels and put her arms around her neck. She then moved her mouth to his ear, "Last time I was at the bar." She said.

_We've got each other and that's a lot for love –_

"'Trying to get over someone." He added, still very much confused. He put his arms around her waist.

_We'll give it a shot._

"This time I want to make it work with someone." She added.

As they started to sway together, House asked, "Why bringing me here then? Why the need for the memory?"

"Because I want to make this an even better memory." She said, as she started to caress his neck.

House wouldn't be able to take the physical contact any longer, he could lose control and just forget about figuring out her little game and sudden display of affection. He held on to her as to not allow her to get away no matter what he would say next ,"I thought it was a bad memory." It sounded more like a question rather than an affirmation.

The solo being slightly lower as there were no more singing to the song, she left his ears to look him in the eye and said, "He had cheated on me but you made me completely forget about him." She was serious but her tone was hotter than it should have sounded.

House said nothing, too focused on her, the dancing and the warmth of the room making him sweat.

"Do you remember the first thing you said to me that night?" She asked him, her fingers massaging his damped neck to his hair.

"I do." He smiled, "Does the endocrinologist need a lay?" He paused, "One of my proudest moments, I must say."

She laughed, "Definitely. And then I said-"She tried.

"-Of course the legendary House knows how to diagnose a case of a broken heart or something like that." He cut her off, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Wow, you do remember after all those years. I'm already quite impressed." She brought her face closer to his so that her nose came in contact with his.

"Did you ask the DJ to play Living on a Prayer?" He asked.

She shrugged, "Just a coincidence." He didn't believe her but it didn't seem like she was making any effort to hide that part from him anyway. And as Living on a Prayer ended, House heard the first few notes of Linger by the Cranberries.

"Okay this was definitely not a coincidence." He said.

"I love that song too, you know." She paused, "So it mightn't… not be."

"Is our pattern going to be the same?"He paused, getting adjusted to the new rhythm, "Should I buy you a drink?" he titled his head back slightly, "We get drunk to the point where you take advantage of me?"

"You can do that." She replied, practically into his mouth.

House closed his eyes, "I don't have my VISA, and I left it at the restaurant. I can't buy you drinks and I can't pay for a-"He tried.

"House, this is my part of the date, remember?" She backed off slowly, leaving him hanging.

"Having you… I mean leaving you hanging is nice for a change." She winked at him and then bent down to pick up her high heels that had been resting on the ground.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"The rules have changed, remember?" She paused, on her way out of the bar, "It shouldn't take you hours to figure it out."

And in an instant, she had disappeared again. House shook his head, tried to slow down the adrenaline pumping in his heart and went to pick up his helmet and jacket.

House got out of the bar and went to the reception and asked the receptionist, "Have you seen a 5' 4", black haired woman, probably running… somewhere, heels in hands."

"Sorry sir, I haven't." The woman nodded her head no.

_The rules have changed, remember?_Her words echoed in his head, breathing quite heavily from the fact that he was in some twisted form of a rush, he was trying hard to figure this one out. It shouldn't be this hard; the only reason why he was taking more than what was usually necessary to find the answer was because stress was getting the better of him. He tried to think of the last time he was in that place with her, it was a conference on diagnostics, and he hadn't seen her in over two years… post-infarction. He had seen her fight with someone who must have been her boyfriend and that one was really easy to figure out for him. This is why she had so easily taken up on him for that. He had bought her a couple of drinks, they had gotten drunk… the usual and… remembering this reminded him of how much he was fascinated by her. House figured that as soon as he would find Cuddy he would have more to do than just take her.

But that wasn't the point, so from what he could remember, he had to leave her at the bar to go book a room for the night because he was too drunk to go back to his place and he offered her to come and join him for that _lay_ he had definitely not secretly asked for… _the bastard_, he thought. The thought process wasn't leading him anywhere. He scratched his stubble and tried to focus on the pattern and replaced it with tonight's events. The drinks became the dance. Then he had gone out of the bar but not before offering her to take advantage of him. Only this time, she left him hanging, there on the dance floor, offering him to take this upstairs. Upstairs…upstairs… In an instant, House got his epiphany and went back to harass the receptionist.

"Do you have a room booked under the name of Lisa Cuddy?" He asked, impatiently.

The receptionist took her time to type the requested entry on her computer and when she was finally done searching for it she said, "No, I'm sorry sir."

House was about to explode and added, "Then maybe it's under a fake name." House tried to think of something quick and said the first thing that went through his mind, "Search under the name House." He said

"First name?" She sighed.

"Gregory?", he suggested.

"No." She said.

"Lisa House, maybe?" He tried.

"No, sir." She repeated.

House tried to shrug that last one off, "You never know with women, especially with an evil witch of an endocrinologist-"He stopped himself and that's when he realized that he had been an idiot for not figuring this out five minutes ago.

"Try Lisa Endocrinologist, please." He finally said.

"How do you spell that?" She asked.

"Oh for fuck's sake! I fear for your kids because they'll obviously get the gene of stupidity!" He got mad.

"But…-"She tried, very much shocked by the man's words.

"It's spelled E-n-d-o-c-r-i-n-o-l-o-g-i-s-t." He paused, "And please don't cry otherwise your kids will be stupid and emotional."

The woman didn't want to cry in front of such an abrasive man, "Room 22." She stated. "You could be nicer with people, you know?"

"I'm sorry, it's not hereditary either." He said before he rushed to the nearest elevator.

* * *

Technology inside the best hotel rooms or suits of such prestigious hotels was such an improvement from what it was fifteen years ago that she couldn't resist testing it. There was some sort of IPOD on one of the room's table that was playing the Bar's playlist. And currently the song that played was Dreams by the Cranberries. Good old songs for what could turn out to be a wonderful night if he would be willing to have more than just this game.

Cuddy had been pacing around this room, still bare feet for the past ten minutes or so and the waiting was slowly turning into fear. What if he has given up? No, House never gives up. Four years ago, she had believed he had. But he came back stronger and surer of himself. Why wouldn't it work out now?

And then she heard a small knock on the door. She rushed to the door and opened it.

"House Diagnostician." He said, panting from the fast walking he had just done.

"You've figured it out." She smiled.

"Took me some time and one idiot of a receptionist but I eventually did, yes." He paused, "You're good but I'm better."

She just stayed there, blocking his way in as she wouldn't stop staring. "'You mind quitting the staring and let me in?" He arched a brow at her.

"Tell me I'm the best." She grinned.

"Stop dreaming." He said, forcing his way in. She didn't try to stop him anyway.

Inside the room, dimmed lights were leading the way to a single bed. He then tried to picture the room he had been in at the time and it looked the same, he turned back to face her, "Is this-"he tried.

She nodded her head yes, "They've changed the number anyway so you couldn't have figured out where I was through the use of the number."She added.

"I'm going to sound like someone I'm not here but I don't think I would have remembered the number of the room anyway." He paused, "I know it was my room but I was too drunk to."

"Well maybe I wasn't as drunk as you thought I was since I remembered it." She said, moving closer to him.

House put his helmet and his jacket down on the table where the advanced piece of technology was, "Hey is that the bar's playlist?" He scrutinized the IPOD closer, "Awesome." He said, like a child.

"I was in complete aw when I saw that too." She said, stopping in front of him.

"So…"He tried, looking into the blue grey of her eyes instead of her slightly opened shirt.

"So…" She said, looking away now.

"Is there something I'm supposed to do now?" He asked, not sure why she seemed uncertain after all this trouble. Why she wasn't as confident now.

She suddenly moved passed him to face the bed that was in front of them, her arms hanging loose, "Is there anything you'd like to tell me about… anything?" She murmured, trembling slightly.

"Why?" He asked, not moving. Each of them was facing opposite directions. He was facing the door, she was facing the bed. If this situation might look comical from a third person's eye, it meant everything to them.

"I'll always be giving you a way out… I jus thought that if I brought you close to something that started us, you'd be more willing to just… open up." She tried.

"I don't ever want you to give me a way out of this." He said, making his way behind her.

"Tell me something then." She asked, very unsure of herself.

"I've just told you something." He said, his chest now firmly pressed against her back.

"You didn't answer my direct question." She retorted.

"Well… then I can tell you that-"He started, grabbing her hands with his to hug her, "I have an amazing view of your cleavage from here."

She smiled, at least that was making her more comfortable, somehow, "Tell me something different for a change." She asked again, moving her head slightly to let her face feel his pulsing neck.

"You've always fascinated me. I have no trouble picturing you in college…" He paused, "Good God, you were hot compared to the mess you are now!" He joked, which had him get a slight kick from one very bare foot on his good leg. "Okay, I take that back, you've always been graciously hot."

"Cut the crap." She smiled.

He held onto her closer, "But you want to know something?" He let his words linger, "I didn't want you in my bed like the rest of the hotties at the time. I could have had you-"he tried.

"No you couldn't, I would have never said yes." She retorted.

"I've never asked you so it doesn't count." He remarked, "But the night I got you to jump me… and you can't say that it isn't what happened!" He exclaimed.

"I'm not going to argue with you, fingers crossed." She said.

"I have your hands in mine; you can't cross your fingers." He remarked.

"Why do you always have to be right about everything?" She asked, arching a brow she knew he couldn't see.

"You could cross your feet though." He offered.

She sighed and did so. "Cute." He remarked.

"Thanks." She said, angling her face to get an even better feel of the part between his jaw line and his neck. A very sensible spot for House and ultimately, something that could be described as extremely intimate to her and most likely for him too considering the situation they were in: for it was new.

"So, the night I got you to jump me…" He paused, "… it hit me that I was unhappy and that I truly had been for a long time." He said.

"What?" She asked, trying to turn around and face him but his hold on her was too strong.

"Don't move." He paused, "Just listen to me."

"Okay." She agreed even though this game was maybe just maybe getting out of control.

"It wasn't really a revelation to me; it was more like a calling." He started, "It meant that I would be stuck in some sort of middle ground for the rest of my life and that as much as my leg might have to do with it, it was never really the issue here."

"Have women been the issue?" She asked, very much out of the blue.

"Two, in particular." He admitted, "Stacy because… I felt happy with her but she left me anyway." He paused, searching for the right words, "And you because… I felt you couldn't make me want to be happy again." He added and stopped himself as he feared his words would be taken a way he had no way of escaping or even worse: that his words would be taken the wrong way.

"But I'm still here." She finished his sentence for him.

She could feel the nodding of his head.

"Before I left for Japan, I asked you how I was supposed to look at you, Lisa." His voice trailed off, she held on to his hands to make sure he wouldn't stop, "You said, 'Like I make you happy.'" And he didn't stop.

"I did." She said only above a whisper.

"I'm going to close my eyes and then I want you to tell me if-"He tried, closing his eyes and then sensed her mouth on his jugular. His grip on her went loose and she slowly tilted her head back to angle her face to let small kisses trail from the base of his neck to his jaw line. House letting go of his hold on her allowed her to turn around slightly so that her left shoulder was resting against his chest. Her small kisses tempting him to lower his head. His nose came in contact with hers. Her eyes looking into his closed ones, she breathed, "You want me to tell you if-?"

"-You could be happy with me?" He answered.

House got no answer and what had been just a few seconds in reality, felt like an eternity behind the blindness of his action. The man of action was rendered to his most vulnerable self, left to an unknown that truthfully got a resolution in the form of a small but tender kiss on his mouth.

As her lips left his, he heard her sob, "Open your eyes, you idiot."

He slowly opened his eyes, his still unsure gaze meeting one small tear on her cheek at first and then moving to her eyes.

She put her arms around his neck and then teased him, "Does the diagnostician need a lay?"

His forehead came in contact with hers and he smiled, "I knew that one would come out eventually."

"No you didn't." She retorted, smiling.

"No, I didn't." He admitted.

"So…" She put her mouth to his again; "do you?" her mouth teased him physically and verbally in between kisses.

As her hand roamed from his shoulders to the waistband of his jeans, he forced his way inside her mouth as a sign that explained more than just the fact that needed her; it told her how much he wanted her.

House grab a hold of his still buttoned shirt and passed it over his head and threw it to the ground. Cuddy was working frantically on his belt and then unbuttoned his jeans, his zipper out of her way in less than a second. He grabbed a hold of her hands again to prevent her from getting lower just now and put forced her mouth back to his. She was letting him kiss her; she wasn't making any effort to kiss him back as she wanted to feel possessed. She wanted to know what it felt like to be his. Simply because he was hers. She slowed down her pace on undressing him completely and let her hands roam around his neck and chest. As addicted to her body as he was, he still hadn't made a move on her clothes. She figured something was wrong as his tongue lost its frenzy on hers.

"What's wrong?" He suddenly asked.

"I want to feel you everywhere on me." She asked kissing him slightly on the lips. She whispered to his ear, "Undress me."

"Why do I have to do all the work?"He joked; relieved as he understood why she wasn't reciprocating the kiss like he was used to.

"Because I'm your boss." She teased.

"You're turning this back into a game, you know?" He tried to protest as he started to work on her shirt.

"Tell me if I shouldn't be doing this, then." She murmured before she bit on his earlobe.

That was all he needed to tear her shirt apart and have it off her. She let her hands caress his arms from his shoulders to his elbows once more. As she moved her mouth back from his ear, making a quick stop on his jaw line to end up on his mouth once more, he worked started to work on the zipper of her skirt. As her skirt fell to the floor he realized she wasn't wearing any panties.

House gulped his saliva and re-directed his look to her face. "'Told you I wasn't wearing anything earlier." She remarked as she positioned her hands on his jeans once more, ready to take them off.

House groaned and kissed her fully on the mouth again, this time she let her tongue fight his, as he started to work on the clasp of her bra, he kicked off his shoes. House had some trouble there and Cuddy said breaking their mouths contact, "Want some help with that?"

House sensed her letting go of his jeans and saw her put her hands behind her back. She unclasped her bra and took it off slowly so that he could appreciate every moment of it. His eyes followed the pattern of her hands; the fact that it allowed her to touch herself at the same time aroused him even more. She stood there completely naked before him for a few seconds before her blush came evident to him. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you looking at me like that." She uttered.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to stop though." He said, putting his mouth to her neck. She gasped as his tongue and lips kissed everything from her collarbone to her stomach, making long stops on her breasts. Her arms were circling his back as she if she never wanted him to stop. She let out a little cry as he bit on one of her nipple. She pushed his head away from her chest slightly in order to let him know she had other business to attend as well. She lowered her body and got on her knees. House was holding on to her head as she took off his jeans and boxers in practically one move. She took his erect penis in her mouth and for the next two minutes or so, gave him the promised blow job from earlier. From the wonders her mouth and tongue were doing to him, he could tell this had been one of the reasons why she hadn't want to exhaust herself earlier with all the kissing. And at that moment, he couldn't be anything other than thankful for it. As he didn't want to force his way inside her mouth like any man would since he didn't want to come just yet, he made her stop. She didn't even have the time to wonder why he had stopped her, that he had gotten her back on her feet to push her back down on the bed. He joined her and started to bit on her lower lip slowly. As she allowed his tongue entrance once more, she sensed his hands stroking her breasts and then moving to her groin. She started to pant as his mouth moved from hers to her jugular and as his fingers started to stroke her labia and applying pressure on her clit. House buried his head between her breasts, kissing every bit of skin in came in contact with. As expected, Cuddy couldn't take it anymore and if he didn't use what was necessary instead of his fingers, she would probably come but not quite as satisfied. And so she put a stop to House's teasing, "Okay, I get it." She moaned, "Just stop."

House positioned his arms back on each side of the bed, trapping her lying form underneath him, "That… was for teasing me." He breathed against her mouth, his eyes never leaving hers. His legs were blocking her attempts at spreading her own legs.

She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Oh God, House! I'm fucking turned on; will you just do me already?"

House let out an uncontrollable laugh, which lead her to have one of her own. She put her hand to her forehead and she tried to stop herself from laughing she admitted, "That was awkward. This isn't supposed to be funny."

"Sex can be funny but here I don't necessarily want it to be." He added, locking eyes with her some more.

"Maybe the funniest part of it all is that you want it to be serious." She stated, trying to hold back another wave of laughter by roaming her fingers into the hair at the back of his head.

Her eyes never leaving his, she suddenly felt a change of tone from his part. The tone of the situation came from him, from the way he was looking at her. In an instant she didn't want to laugh anymore, she wanted him to keep spreading her legs the way he was slowly doing so. She felt him adjust himself against her groin and saw his eyes gleaming for her. She grabbed his neck with her hands as if she had known the exact moment he would take her. As much as she was allowed to by the force of his weight on her, she brought her mouth to his and he eased his way down to the begging noises it was making. Gasping in each others mouth as his thrusts increased in strength and pace, the both of them felt the frictions building up to raw pleasure as it connected with the already intense intimacy of the moment. In between her moans and his heavy breathing she could have sworn she had heard him moan 'I love you'. She completely shrugged that idea off as she felt her orgasm coming. "Don't stop." She panted against his neck. House wouldn't be able to hold on much longer and so his final thrusts became harder. Cuddy cried with pleasure as climax hit her and only a few motions later, House came, his head falling on the cushion. A few seconds later, he was kissing the side of her neck and in between kisses, no matter how noisy their heavy breathing had been, she could have sworn she had heard him say those three words again.

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Loved it? Hated it? Good God, let me know! *begs* ;)


	26. Chapter 25

**A small chapter, I know, sorry about that. Still I hope it'll be enough until I come up with something longer tomorrow. ;)**

**Reviews + love and criticism are what gets me off, lol. (*headdesk*) **

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**Chapter 25: Tell me about progress.**

House woke up to the sound of his Dancing Queen ring tone. He carefully moved the arm that had been resting on his chest and reached for his jeans by the bed. He sent the incoming call to voice mail; he had no desire for Cuddy to be woken up to ABBA at four in the morning. House was a light sleeper but to his surprise and possibly, satisfaction, Cuddy wasn't. The ring tone hadn't woke her up. Something he should try to remember for later, anything could be useful to him now that he was with her. _Right…_, he thought. This was the first time he had stayed in bed with her; this was the first time he had felt more than just connected with her during sex. Emotionally? Yes. More than that? Probably.

Her head was resting on the cushion, the sheets of the bed were covering her to the small of her back, which allowed House a very sexy view of something she would never thought he'd find sexy of her. But he did, House just loved her back. The thought process made him smile since it was filled with innuendos. The man was very much proud of himself at that moment. Nothing unusual. What was unusual on the other hand was Wilson calling him at this hour. His endless curiosity taking the better of him, he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom, ready to give Wilson his conclusions on friendships: what's the point in having one when the person you are friends with doesn't get the concept of Bros before Hoes?

House sat down on the toilet seat and dialed Wilson's number.

"What the hell do you want at four in the fucking morning?" House swore over the phone as he heard Wilson's drunken nights' heavy breathing. That is something you can never forget, even after four years.

"Oh… hi…" Wilson tried.

"Houseton to Wilsearth! This better be quick as I'm freezing my balls on that damn toilet seat." He paused, "Speak! Why are you drunk?" House asked, already annoyed.

"I don't know…" he said, sounding tipsy but House knew better, "maybe… because I've asked her to marry me and she left me!" This was grave.

"Who? The ghost of your dead fiancée? It's like so five years ago, you know?" House answered, rolling his eyes.

"No, you idiot…" Wilson tried to yell but failed miserably as to House it came as a high pitched sound, Wilson sounded like a woman when he was drunk, "Serena!"

"Sorry, it doesn't ring a bell!" He joked and sighed, "Go to bed Wilson, we'll talk about this in the morning."

"I'm going to… throw up, I think." Wilson kept going.

"If only I was the caring type… like you," House pointed, " I would go and check up on you but I won't since there's a naked Cuddy in my bed that needs all my attention and" he paused, "intentions!"

"Wha-at?" Wilson tried, "Oh the date, right! At least one of us… is… happy."

House rolled his eyes, "You're drunk, and you should be the happy one."

Wilson laughed, "Want to come over and … bring some JD?" The oncologist was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning, House thought.

"No!" House said just a little too loud, "Damn'" He cursed himself for doing so.

"What about bros before h-"Wilson tried.

"Tonight is about Cuddy under House! Or on top of, whatever so for the last time, no! The party over here is way more satisfying." House explained, "Go to bed Jimmy boy."

House heard no response and said, "Wilson?" He then heard Wilson snore, which made House realize he definitely would have been stupid to go to his friend's place to check up on him. Indeed, the thought had crossed his mind. House wasn't the caring type but his friend's situation, even though extremely stupid, made him think of mistakes he could do with Cuddy. Especially one he might have said just a little too loud under his breath while they were making love.

House got off the toilet seat and as he was about to open the door, he stopped himself, "Making love?" He murmured to himself and raised an eyebrow. He shook his head and opened the door, disbelieving his own thoughts…

"Making love?" Cuddy's voice made contact with his ears at the exact same time her naked self came to stand before him.

And words…

"Wilson's drunk." He said, "Serena won't be able to make sweet love to him anymore because he has been enough of an idiot to tell her he wanted to marry her."

"Oh-"she uttered, putting her hand to her forehead, "Hence the call at four in the morning?" She added.

"You were awake?" He scowled.

"Barely, I was half dreaming I think since I heard an ABBA song and that it couldn't possibly be part of my dream."

"Wilson's ring tone." He shrugged and added, "What were you dreaming about?" He asked.

"You of course." She said, using her sexy look on him.

"Really?" His eyes were open wide with anticipation.

"No!" She rectified, "If I was dreaming, I wouldn't be able to remember it anyway."

House frowned, "You can remember your dreams, you know?"He retorted again but decided to let this pass and let her do her talking.

"But you got me scared for a minute!"She added, more serious.

"Why?" He asked.

"I thought you were… you know… gone." She admitted, hating the fact that she was so vulnerable before him at that moment.

House started to grin and it put her off, "Stop doing that!" She said, hitting his chest.

"Doing what?" He kept grinning.

"Grinning like that, it's not funny you know." She folded her arms against her chest.

House suddenly shot her a look of horror and put his hands against his eyes to block his view, "You know those two aren't covered and I'm still not used to being so close to them. This relationship turns out to be very difficult for my innocent eyes!" he kept on making fun of her.

She covered her breasts with her hands, "Stop acting like a four year old!" She rolled her eyes. "There open your eyes, they're covered" she paused, "which is something I can't say about your manhood there."

House got his hands off his face and looked down at his groin, "Damn! I completely forgot about you!" He sighed, shaking his head, "I guess this means I'm going to have to ask you to use your administrative sinful skills on me and turn this relationship into something even more difficult for my innocence!"

She bit her bottom lip, "We've already done it like God knows how many times! I want my beauty sleep!" She frowned but teased, nevertheless.

House pretended he was counting the number of times they had done it and as he stopped at two times, he rushed to her and grabbed her fiercely by the hips, "House!" She got taken aback and he brought her back to the bed where almost tripped on one of Cuddy's do me pumps which made them fall down on it.

"I want you; I don't care if we're both sleepy." He panted as he started kissing her.

Cuddy tried to push him away but the fact that he could do it for the both of them tempted her just a little much for her to really put a stop to it. "But-" She tried, trying to keep with his pace on the kissing part, "Seriously-" she moaned as his mouth moved to her chest, "I'm tired." She said.

"Then I'm just going to help you sleep." He paused, moving his head lower, "Trust me, it's better than me singing you a lullaby." He said and she could tell he was waggling his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, "Oh come on, I'm about to yawn, really. Tomorrow-"She stopped herself as a warm and wet sensation started to put pressure on her inner thighs, "Oh God…"

"No, you're about to moan, really." He twisted her words before he went back to sucking on her clit.

"Too tired to get boned though." She moaned, in between waves of pleasure, "So if you want to make this worth your ego, we'll have to 69 it." She rolled her eyes at her own choice of vocabulary.

He tilted his head back to meet her gaze with his practically hypnotized one, "You know… I could be as stupid as Wilson right now?"

She laughed and made a sign with her hands for him to turn around.

* * *

House has a big mouth but she figured she had a bigger one (_no pun intended_, she thought, _okay, maybe just a tiny little_, she is a proud woman after all and the thought process made her smile) as she not only didn't doze off to sleep before him but he did even though it seemed he had no intention to at first. She was exhausted from all the fantastic moments she had with him. She would probably remember those for a long time but what she was pretty sure she would never forget at that moment was the sight before her. Her business, her vice, her weakness, all summed up in the shape of her all too bright and handsome jerk of an employee.

A man that love could never tame or bring happiness to.

But he's a part of her life, a part she shouldn't play with, a part that is so messed up that she could lose just everything about her life because of it. She knows she is just as miserable with him as she is without him. Women have wanted to save the broken man before because when he opens up, that's exactly what most women would want to do and take an awful pride in taming him. As her hand trailed on his chest, she knew what she wanted to remember: the way he makes her feel. .. He seems less damaged but it's never been about putting the broken pieces back together with him. Only the administrative and friendly parts of her did that for him. As a woman, it's always been about who he is. He's an addiction and she's in love with it.

Damaged or not.

She bent her head down to kiss his cheek before she dozed off to sleep, hoping she would arise from her slumber with him by her side. Not gone, not ever.


	27. Chapter 26

**See, trying to update fast again! xD**

**I hope you enjoy that little one. Don't forget to tell me what you think so... review!! **

* * *

**Chapter 26: Tell me you want to be fooled.**

The safe haven feeling of the room is over. At least that's what Cuddy will be thinking once she and House would have to leave for the hospital. And House could definitely start thinking about that since he was awake. House would have to check up on Wilson and also work at making this day a beautiful day. In House's lexicon, this would mean make it as awkward as possible for Cuddy to handle sanely. House cracked a smile but at that moment, it wasn't the only thing stirring him up. Cuddy, he couldn't wait to hide away from her at work and see her _after class._ Thisidea of Princeton Plainsboro being a school instead of a hospital brought him to the land of hopes and fantasies. The smile transformed into a smirk. Next thing he knew, under the sheets, one of his fantasies was being explored further than his mind had allowed him to. He sensed Cuddy's leg fold just a little too high, her knee getting to touch the sensible part of his precious anatomy. Suddenly her hand that had been resting on his chest moved up to his jaw line. As her –what seemed like, absent-minded fingers were trailing on his lips, drawing the shape of his mouth, House wondered if she was still asleep.

"Don't fool yourself, I'm awake." She murmured, still applying pressure on his balls with her knee.

"That's evil!" He started, "And scary." He paused, "And hot." He admitted.

"Nope, that's a tease." She rectified.

"Which means, "Oh please, Greg, I want to get boned this morning!"?"He asked, ready for anything at this point.

"Nope, that means we have to go to work." She said, bringing her lip to his mouth for a quick kiss.

As she got out of bed, her nudity a bonus he couldn't even take advantage of at this moment, he whined, "Then why the hell would you turn me on! " he put the cushion to his face and mumbled something like, "you princess of all evil witches!"

She sighed and crawled back on the bed and straddled him. As she put the cushion away from his face, he put his hands to her hips, "I knew calling you a witch would change your mind." He smirked as he tried to get a better grip on her by circling her waist with his arms, which brought him, closer to her breasts. As he rested his head on them, she rolled her eyes and remarked, "First of all, you've called me a princess," she paused as his mouth started to trail kisses up to her collarbone,

"That's a matter of interpretation." He said in between kisses, definitely trying to make her forget about work, "Besides, the term 'queen' is reserved for work." He retorted, wanting to kill himself mentally for using the exact word he hadn't wanted to use.

"Second," she started, trying to escape his kisses; "I want you to-." She added, putting her arms around his neck.

"Yes?" He asked, impatiently.

"-To crave for me all day long at work." She whispered to his ear.

"You're afraid I might go look somewhere else." He remarked, looking at her straight in the eyes, startling her in the process.

"I know you won't." She said, definitely avoiding the question, "But if you're tired of me, Serena seems to be available now." She shrugged.

House eyed her suspiciously, "You know I hate her like the plague, so this means you really are the jealous type." He paused, "That's cute, considering…"

"Considering what?" She frowned.

"Considering you're the one who has been a naughty girl for the past four years." He explained.

"House, up until a few days ago, I hadn't had sex in four years. You being the last." She admitted, adamant.

"All the more reason for you to get tired of me." He added, very serious.

"Why would I-"She tried, affectionately.

"If you ever cheat on me-"He started, a little too concerned in Cuddy's opinion. It was just a little too fake. Maybe, he used to be a better actor or she just hasn't lost her touch when it comes to his twisted games, but she knows that he wants to turn her little game against her.

"Not gonna work." She said, seeing right through him, "You'll cave, I won't. Tonight you'll be begging me to have sex with you. Besides, you'll have to be really good to me since I have a four year old at home." She smirked.

House smirked, "You'll be the one rushing to me." He said, admitting his sneaky game in the process.

She untangled herself from him and got out of bed again. As she started to pick up her clothes she said, "And, I'm never calling you, Greg."

Before he went to take a shower, he turned around and said, "Can we at least have breakfast before you do?" She gave him an evil look as he waggled his eyebrows at her.

The game is always on because he's willing to play it. And with her in, he wouldn't miss it for the world.

* * *

"It's a five star hotel! I want my breakfast!" He started to yell in the corridors.

"It's already 10:30, we have got to go to work." She remarked. "You either give me a good reason for it-"she meant 'answer' by that, "or you pay for it yourself."

"I don't have my plastic, thanks to you, Francis is going to spend all my money, remember?" He ranted.

"Then, just give me a GOOD reason." She tempted him.

"No, I don't need to be spending more time with you because it's awful to have to wait another eight hours or so to have sex with you again, Cuddy." He paused; definitely not ready to lose over something as stupid as breakfast, "I just want to eat! I can't work unless my stomach's full."

"Okay…" she sighed, "fine, I'll buy you breakfast but you'll hurry, promise?"

"You mean 'in a hurry to jump you since I know you're already craving for some good old horizontal satisfaction?"

"Too bad it's the only thing you can do these days." She shrugged as she entered the elevator.

He followed after her and backed her up against the inside wall, "I can do you vertically, from behind, whenever you want, wherever you want… even in here if that's what you, let's say have been wanting for the past forty minutes or so." He said, looking at his watch in the process.

"You're losing it, House." She said, extremely calm even though the proximity was taking its tall on her. "Behave or I'll hit your leg again."

"That would be low of you." He paused, he brought his mouth to her ears, "You will cave and I'll win and your caring nature will automatically lead you to work on your bedside manners anyway, if you decided to go forward with the mutilation threat." He backed off from her and pushed the Hall button.

"You're the one who absolutely wants to eat breakfast with me." She shrugged.

"I don't want to eat breakfast with you." He retorted, "I just want to eat something!"

After a long pause from both players, Cuddy had to break the silence again.

"What if I said you could eat your breakfast on my body instead of a plate?"

House prayed the universe that he wouldn't cave.

Cuddy couldn't help but think that men are easy.

* * *

"It's even more twisted now that we know we both want to jump each other's bones!" House said, barging in Wilson's office, "That breakfast was torture, seriously. By the way, you got a twenty? 'Couldn't get my VISA back, long story."

Wilson said nothing; he was seated behind his desk, staring at the wall in front of him.

"Right, you're mourning." House remarked and came to sit on his couch, "Wilson?"

Wilson didn't even blink an eye.

"Serena!" House practically yelled.

"Huh? What?" Wilson woke up from his trance.

"Men…" House shook his head, "Wilson, I was talking to you about something important." He paused, "So Cuddy and I are making this relationship into-"

"I don't care about your meaningless problems, House. She left…" Wilson addressed him.

"It is meaningful, seriously. It means we're even worse as a couple-"House tried.

Wilson rose up from his chair and started to yell, "I don't give a FUCK about your blossoming relationship with her, House!"

"You just need to give her time to get over it." House stopped playing his friend.

"Why would you say that, huh?" He paused, "You don't even care!"

"It's just an observation. You were an idiot, that's life; you do stupid things when you're in love." House shrugged.

"Listen, you don't get to give me your 'observations', House!" He stated, "You're not even able to tell your –IT WAS ABOUT FREAKING TIME, new girlfriend that you've loved her all along!"

"I love to be with her-"he remarked, "It doesn't mean I'm in love with her. Maybe you have some awesome advice you'd like to share with an incapable piece of shit like me. Maybe I should just ask her to marry me like you-"

"You're going too far here, House!" Wilson warned him.

"Or maybe I'm just not as much a coward as you are. I stand behind what I think, I went for it. It took me four years but eventually I went for it. You… you just went for it but didn't prepare yourself for the consequences." He caught his breath, "You're taking the easy way here, Wilson. You got drunk instead of chasing after her to get to explain yourself."

"I'm in love with Serena, I asked her to marry me because I know that she's the one!" Wilson protested.

"But you forgot that she knows you well! She knows you've divorced a zillion times already and she's a divorcée as well." He remarked.

"I thought she'd understand that… that she'd figure that what I meant was real. That she and I are final and the real deal!" Wilson paced around his office, thoughtful.

"Thank God Cuddy knows what she's in for!"House exclaimed.

"Does she?" Wilson tried his friend.

"She knows I want her for myself but she also knows that I can push her away." House explained.

"Doesn't mean that's what she wants." Wilson retorted, "You're too involved now. If you push her away, she might not stay." He was deliberately trying to hurt his friend to maybe make him understand some things.

"She knows I can't change and she doesn't want me to." House said.

"You mean she doesn't necessarily want you to change." Wilson kept going, "But maybe one day, it'll be necessary for you to have to the guts to tell her about your fear of commitment."

"I'm committed." House shrugged.

"But for how long?!" Wilson protested.

"For as long as she will want me to be." House looked away.

"But that's not what you want. You want to go march down to her office right now and tell her how much you love her but you can't because…" Wilson paused, chuckling, "You're just as much a coward as I am."

"Seriously, if I asked her to marry me right now, she wouldn't run away like your woman, she'd jump me!" House mocked his friend.

"You fear rejection from her… you think that if you open up to her just a little too much, she'll lose interest in your troubled soul and dump you."

"You're wrong; she will always be interested in me." He paused, getting up from the couch, "I just don't want to be happy."

"But she's making you, isn't she?" Wilson held up his friend.

"That would make me vulnerable and as you can see, I'm not." House glared at Wilson.

"You're wrong, House." Wilson chuckled, "It's self-inflicted. Her making you happy isn't what's going to make you vulnerable; it's… her already making you… vulnerable that forces you to be unhappy."

"Wow! You'll have to get back to me to explain this because I'm just not ready… emotionally… to face this… this… at least, it's what I think it is… this revelation." House mocked his friend and paused, "Puh-lease, just let me be."

"You should be the one letting yourself be, House." Wilson told him.

"I'm going to go see your future ex-wife."House sighed, "No need to try and stop me, just thank me."

"You are the bastard in this story." Wilson added, letting his friend his way out.

"I've always been." House stated, slamming the door shut.


	28. Chapter 27

**I was maybe just a little tipsy while writing it so don't ask me how or why I got the inspiration from that song, lol! ;)**

**As usual, loads of interpretations are possible. But that's because I always play on the confusion, sorry I can't help it, lol. **

**Thx again all you guys for the great reviews and don't forget to stir and/or show me the love by hitting that review button! xD **

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**Chapter 27: Tell me you love me.**

Meanwhile that day, Cuddy went up to the Pediatrics Ward, around lunch time.

Cuddy went to the head of the department's office and asked her secretary, "Hello Patricia, is Dr. Cornell busy?"

"Hello Dr. Cuddy, she's in a consult at the moment."

"During lunch break?" Cuddy eyed the old lady carefully.

"She is busy, Dr. Cuddy. Why would I lie to you?" The slightly annoyed woman asked her.

"First of all because I'm the dean of medicine and everybody lies, especially to me." She paused, warning the secretary with her bossy glare that she had to be a little more respectful towards her boss when she's addressing her. "Second because I know everything about my friend."

"She doesn't want to see anyone… boss!" The woman admitted, mocking the dean slightly.

"Go to hell and I'm coming inside now." She said, moving past the secretary's desk.

"Dr. Cuddy! I'm sorry okay… just don't-"She tried but Cuddy had already opened the door.

"Hey Serena, do you want to have lunch?" She asked, barging in her friend's office.

Cuddy saw her friend on her couch.

"Serena can I fire your secretary for you-" Cuddy trailed off as shock settled on her face. Her friend was smoking something that definitely didn't smell like cigarettes.

"Be my guest, Lisa." She said, taking another puff.

"Are you smoking a joint?!" Cuddy yelled, slamming the door shut to the secretary that had been prying into what was none of her business just a little too long.

"Nooooooo." Her friend rolled her eyes, taking another puff of what was obviously grass.

Cuddy shook her head in disapproval, "You don't even smoke!" she claimed.

"Apparently, now I do. I guess your addictions to cigarette and fucked up relationships have passed on to me." She chuckled.

"You're smoking some neuron degeneration piece of crap, not cigarettes." Cuddy stated, moving closer to her friend.

"You want some?" Serena offered.

"No and you look like a mess so I think you'd better stop that." Cuddy said, feeling sorry for her friend's disheveled appearance and that Wilson was somehow part of the reason.

"What you're not even going to tell me how bad it is that I'm smoking in your hospital and that I'm a disgrace to the profession?" Serena chuckled taking another puff.

Cuddy bit her bottom lip and sighed, "We all do stupid things, I'm not going to be a bitch just yet, and I know what Wilson did."

"And I know you've smoked pot too in college!!!" She went to her window, opened it. She threw her joint out the window and turned back to face her friend and boss, "Well shoot. Say what you want to say."

"You overreacted." She said simply.

"The guy divorced all the women he has been married to and suddenly after all these years, with what we have being enough… and great, he asks me to marry him?" She shook her head, bewildered, "Excuse me if I feel like overreacting!"

"This doesn't mean it won't work!" Cuddy tried to explain.

"Of course… and it says idiot here, I've been through one divorce! I don't want another one." She said, pointing a finger at her forehead.

"He loves you!" Cuddy said, moving to sit next to her friend.

"I know he does, I just didn't want him to do something as stupid as proposing to me… and he did." She started to cry.

"He LOVES you, hon." Cuddy said, "He wants to marry you because he knows you're the one. He called House at four in the morning for crying out loud, completely wasted!" she paused, "Don't you think you two are too old for this to be just another marriage?"

"Thanks for reminding me that I'm old." She said, taking another already rolled joint from her pocket.

Cuddy tried to protest but Serena got up from her couch and said, "And yes, I'm going to smoke this, so you either let me do it here or fire me. Either way I don't care, I just want to smoke it." She said moving to her bookshelf to put the stereo on.

"You have a stereo in your office?" Cuddy asked, startled by that fact. Even more so, since she had never thought of getting one in her office herself. It could be good to chill sometimes.

"Oh yeah and you've seen nothing yet!" Her smiled idiotically, "Well, it's more like _heard_ nothing yet!" She added as she pressed play.

As Cuddy heard the first few notes of the song, she started to laugh but she couldn't help but smile at the thought that you could be smoking a joint and listening to Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me at the same time.

"Maybe he asked me to marry him because he doesn't love me." Serena started pacing around the office, joint in mouth. "You got a lighter?"

_Turn down the lights, turn down the bed_

_Turn down these voices inside my head_

Cuddy still had her lighter on her –_a habit_, she thought, "You do realize you're about to go all emotional on me to that song?" she said, handing her friend the lighter. Cuddy had given up on making her stop and she figured that if she had her own strange attitudes like closing yourself up for an entire day in an exam room, Serena could have hers. Anyone could, really. As her boss, she would have to stop it but as her friend she just couldn't. "And you know how wrong it is to use a song like this one." She said.

"What? It's a classic! Something an entire generation of broken hearts has been listening to since the beginning of times!" Serena protested, lighting her joint.

_Lay down with me, tell me no lies_

_Just hold me close, don't patronize – don't patronize me_

"First of all, the song came out in 1991-"Cuddy started.

"Wow! You must have been going through one serious case if you remember the exact date!" Serena cut her off, chucking.

_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

_You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

"No and I just think that song is stupid." Cuddy paused, "Second of all, it's wrong to use it because the lyrics will never apply to your situation with Wilson." She expressed.

"Why couldn't I just get Cameron to come and check up on me instead of you?" Serena claimed, annoyed, "She was too young when that song came out, she wouldn't have been this annoying."

"She probably knows that song too and as far as I know she still understands English perfectly." Cuddy retorted.

"Of course you'd say that… reminding me of how old I am again." Serena crashed down on her couch again.

"It reminds me of how old I am as well, you know!" She remarked.

_Here in the dark, in these lonely hours_

_I will lay down my heart and Ill feel the power_

_But you wont, no you won't_

_Cause I cant make you love me, if you don't_

"It really is a sad song." Cuddy stated after paying a little too much attention to the lyrics. Just like her friend was, without the high –except for the smell, maybe.

"I know he loves me." Serena stated out of the blue, "I just don't want him to stop loving me."

"And you think that's what you guys getting married implies?" Cuddy asked, a little too intoxicated now.

"I don't know." Serena admitted, taking another puff, inhaling it all too perfectly.

"This is the first honest answer you've come up with and no, I'm not suggesting you getting high, was a good thing." Cuddy smiled, putting her arms around her friend. "You know, you two should talk about it, just deal with it and keep on dating, if you can call what you've been doing for all these years dating. 'Because to me it's like you're already married.

"Oh My God!" Serena buried her face in her hands, "I completely forgot about your date with House!" She paused, feeling stupid, "How did it go?"

"It's hard to describe a date with House but I can tell you this, it was amazing." Cuddy replied, honestly.

"Really?" Her friend smiled. Cuddy nodded, her smile never fading.

"But if there's anything I can say that can help your relationship with Wilson right now, I should be using one close and excellent example that will prove you that you and Wilson could make it through marriage." Cuddy added.

"You view your relationship with House so pessimistically." Serena exclaimed, her friend giving her a bewildered look, "And yes high me comes up with quite a rich vocabulary!"

Cuddy laughed, "Well, it's probably true but at least I know what I'm in for. Anyway, I think this song applies more to –"She tried before someone else barged into the room.

"YOU IDIOT!" They both jumped at the sight before them. Wilson was trying to bloke House's way inside.

"NO YOU… THE BOTH OF YOU ARE IDIOTS!" House replied to his best friend, pointing his index at him and then back to Serena.

Wilson stopped himself as he smelled something that he recognized as the scent of pot, "You smell that?" He asked House but probably, everybody else in the room.

"Does your girlfriend have cancer now?" House asked.

"Huh?" Wilson uttered, Cuddy and Serena stood there bewildered.

"No, I'm just smoking a joint with my friend!" Serena exclaimed, hugging her friend closer.

"I'm not smoking!" Cuddy held her arms up in the air, in protest.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion; House just wants to be the most evil bastard on the planet again. Don't worry, we'll leave." Wilson excused himself and House, mostly because he didn't want to have to deal with his personal life in front of his friends.

"Actually no, I think it's the perfect time for you and I to have a little chat, Wilson." Serena said rising up from her couch.

"Why didn't you take that piece of garbage away from her?" House said pointing to the joint.

Cuddy shrugged, "At least I've tried to talk to her."

"But, did you tell her how much of an idiot she is for thinking he won't love her anymore and just dump her once they get married?" House asked Cuddy.

"As a matter of fact I did." Cuddy replied.

"Oh-"House sounded disappointed for not getting the chance to say it himself but also felt quite proud somehow, "See how my girlfriend looks up to my great sarcasm and amazing insights?!"

"Girlfriend-"Cuddy stated, quite taken aback.

"Did it… work?" Wilson tried to ask, his gaze never leaving Serena's face.

"Right… of course it doesn't always work." House paused, "Let me ask my girlfriend: Did your words have any influence on her, Dr. Cuddy?!" House mocked, loudly.

"Say that again?" Cuddy practically squinted.

"I'll marry you if that's what you really want." Serena stated out of the blue.

"What?!" Cuddy got up from the couch as well.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this lady here is officially high and can not be trusted!" House joked some more, the situation way too exciting and funny to pass on.

"House is right…" Wilson trailed, moving closer to Serena.

"Of course, I'm always right! He's an idiot-" House interjected.

"Shut up." Cuddy warned House, "Serena you should-"She tried.

"I'm not that high, Lisa." Serena moved to Wilson and hugged him, "I'm not saying no yet, but we'll have to talk about it, okay?" she told Wilson.

"Anything you want", he said."Want to go grab some lunch?" he asked.

"Okay." She said, "I love you." She added, through blood-shot eyes.

"I love you too." The complete mess he still was answered back.

_I'll close my eyes, then I won't see_

_The love you don't feel when you're holding me_

"Before you go down to the cafeteria, please give me that joint!" Cuddy said, rushing to Serena before she could leave with Wilson. Serena complied easily, much more intoxicated with Wilson by now.

_Morning will come and Ill do what's right_

_Just give me till then to give up this fight_

"Wait a minute? Were you guys getting high over this song?!" House broke the silence, stopping –again, the other two doctors to leave in peace.

_And I will give up this fight_

"I didn't smoke!" Cuddy told him again. "And it's a good kind of classic!"

House rolled his eyes, "Women… Wilson, don't forge to invite me for the buffet and then call me when you need to dump her like the others!" and went to sit on Serena's couch.

"You were right Lisa; this song doesn't apply to me." She acknowledged, "But I think you're wrong about your _boyfriend._" She winked at her friend before closing the door behind her, leaving Cuddy and House in her office, alone.

_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't_

"Why didn't Wilson try to kill you for that comment?" Cuddy asked, deliberately changing the subject.

_You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

"That's because he thinks I'm vulnerable these days." House shrugged, "Anyway, us getting high from some left over scent or from a song like that isn't going to help us get sexual." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"You're the one who said we should get sexual, and you sat down on that couch, which means you want to do me." She chuckled, "You lose!"

_Here in the dark, in these lonely hours_

I will lay down my heart and Ill feel the power

"I always win in the end… and you know it." He eyed her carefully.

"You're right we can't do it in her office anyway." She shrugged as well.

_But you wont, no you won't_

"No, no. I'm not falling for that one!"

"I assume you're having a hard time doing nothing all day long as you're constantly thinking of me. I'm offering solutions, aren't they better than clinic duty?" She kept going.

"Are you deliberately trying to lose this game?" He asked, very suspicious of her.

_Cause I can't make you love me, if you don't_

"I've never said that." She groaned, "Come on, back to work, quickly!" She asked him to get up from the couch. As he did so he asked her one last question, "Are you sure we're still talking about the same thing?" He paused, not sure he wanted to go farther, "I mean, it seems a little unusual-"he tried.

"Normal's overrated." She said, cutting him off as she left the office.

House sensed that last question to be an affirmation for her as much as a question to him. House may be a terrible actor but he is not an idiot. He went to press stop on the stereo. As he listened to the final notes of the song he knew she had no reason to fight or give up.

But knowing is _just_ _not_ telling.

* * *


	29. Chapter 28

**Argh! I wanted to upload this yesterday but with the Doc Manager not working, I couldn't, GRR!! So there you go. I hope you enjoy it! xD**

**Come on review, I wanna feel loved: even if it's just to say "WOW that fic is really shitty", LOL **

* * *

**Chapter 28: Tell me you have no regrets. **

Cuddy wanted to House to annoy her, wanted him to keep playing. She had no idea where the rest of this day would lead her emotionally and that is what was scaring her. Her last words to House were probably meaningless, especially to him. She chuckled. Hell, he must have taken it as a joke. He couldn't possibly know what was going inside her brain as she spoke those words. But he could. He is House, anything is possible and when things intrigue him, he just can't let go. This is why, back in her office, she had decided to keep the game they had started that morning on. She wanted to avoid the things that weren't fun, and by fun, she meant her feelings. She had to make him beg, she wanted him to keep playing her. Playing is fun, it's good, it's exciting and it doesn't bring out the real issues. As much as there doesn't seem to be because he's anything but good to her at the moment, she fears that she can't take up on his words. She can't be happy if he can't. Being in love with someone, the fact that she has been for years, makes her extremely vulnerable and Cuddy isn't about to throw it all away just because she wants him to be happy. There are things she would want to ask him but can't. But obviously it's just a question of 'just not yet'. She wants to play and by that, make sure he doesn't try to get deep again. Deep House is a fifty/fifty chance she can't risk. She is trying to protected herself but at the same time, hypothetically, as it's probably an unconscious opportunity for her, she's trying to spend with him the things they can't speak of. It's just a question of not asking. It's an issue to be face to face with someone that has a hard time telling her things. Warm the bed for him and delay all regrets. This isn't hypocrisy, it's called being in love with someone who can't be.

As Cuddy was trying to think of a plan, House barged in her office.

"I thought I had been clear with the way things go at this hospital." She paused, annoyed, "I think I've made things clear for years but you aren't that much of a genius since you still don't seem to be getting any. The word 'work' means-"She tried.

"I've been at the clinic for thirty minutes; I just wanted to know if I should buy Rachel a gift for tonight." He asked.

Cuddy blinked a few times, slightly taken aback, "House, you don't buy gifts."

"I've bought her one for her birthday!" He retorted, "I mean the fact that I'm screwing her mother means that I'm socially bound to buy her stuff." He shrugged.

She shot him an evil glare, "You can't!"

"Why?" He asked her, quite serious.

"Because I don't want her to get too attached to you." She said, getting up from her chair.

House stayed silent as Cuddy walked closer to him, "She is four years old! She won't even notice if I dump you!" He joked.

"You're already thinking about dumping me?" She asked, pouting slightly as she came to stand inches from him.

He eyed her suspiciously before he put his arms around her waist, "I'm an ass; I'll probably die someday too." He said.

As her hands started to roam in the direction of his neck and cheeks, she added, "I grant you one wish before that happens."

He started to apply pressure on the small of her back, "I want to do something for Little Miss Cuddy."

"I think you want to do something for the Cuddy that is standing right in front of you." She said, caressing his cheeks.

"I don't think she wants to get too attached to me." He said as a grin formed on his face.

"You really want to win today's game, huh?" She said, bringing her face closer to his, breathing hard.

"I'll buy her a present anyway." He waggled his eyebrows.

"No you won't." She said, "That's not playing fair."

"We haven't set any specific rules for this seduction game, remember?" He retorted.

"Thank God you're not too attached to rules then." She said, kissing him softly on the lips.

House's eyes rolled at the back of his head, the caress of her lips on his making his strategies melt. However, even before he could consider himself caught up in the moment, he backed her up against her desk, hiking up her skirt just a little in the process and started kissing her hard. His tongue invading her mouth, giving her one of the hottest kiss he could manage to put into motion. Filled with lust and passion for her, that kiss turned her senses into fire. A fire her moans expressed with delight to his ears.

And then it stopped, he locked his eyes with hers and saw the look of need on her face. As Cuddy tried to catch her breath, trying to decipher where this was going, House arched a brow at her and then grinned.

_Bastard…_, she thought.

And in less than a second he disentangled himself from her, leaving her and her hiked up skirt, panting on the desk. As he had slammed the door shut, the only thing she wanted to do was to rush after him and ask her to do her right here, right now. The bastard has won but there, she's a hypocrite. But he is also, except with a little more strength. At least, she can still outrun him.

"YOU LOSE HOUSE!" She yelled, barging in the clinic. "You doing this to me equal you begging!" She explained.

House who was at the nurse's station couldn't help but frown, "Why can't you just let go?" He asked.

"Why can't you give up? We both know this is going to happen anyway!" She exclaimed, trying to forget everybody inside the clinic was watching them. They probably had no understanding of what was going on anyway.

"I've heard they've started dating…" One of the nurses murmured to another one. Cuddy had no trouble hearing them.

"House. You'll be begging." She warned, moving closer to him and additionally to where the nurses' gossips were.

"Look at that staring contest!" The other nurse shook her heads, "It's obvious it's not going well."

"A minute ago you were. Me, leaving, was just an explanatory turn on." He retorted.

"Well, of course, he's House!" The first nurse paused, "It can't go well for her."

"By the way, I'm sorry, I can't cook dinner for two tonight." She said, folding her arms against her chest. The tone of her voice mixed with her opened top wasn't helping.

"No, I mean… sexually." She stated, "Apparently, he can't satisfy her, which is why they act awkward around each other."

"And, I could feel 'IT' the minute I kissed you by the way." She added, quite crudely, because the nurses were definitely starting to really annoy her.

"You're right; they were very weird when they came in together this morning." The first one remarked.

Cuddy rolled her eyes and House said, "Your lips told me you wanted to take advantage of me."

"I've also been told in the past that his leg was always a burden to him when it came to sex. Well, he isn't walking with a cane anymore and still, he has issues." The other one added fuel to the fire of Cuddy's bones.

"Hey ladies!" She made the two nurses shut up, "For your information that man right there, "She started, putting her finger on his chest. "Is better than your vibrators, better than your men who won't even dare look at you."

"Cuddy, what are you-"He tried.

"Shut up. I'm telling my wonderful nurses how amazing you are in bed." She put her arms around his neck and locked lips with him and for about ten seconds gave him back the kiss he had given her in her office. She could hear the nurses as well as the people near the nurses' station gasp. As she stopped kissing him she watched him breath in her mouth. She could feel his arms hold on to her body, the small of her back being the only support that could keep him from passing out.

"Wow." He simply breathed.

She smiled sincerely at him before she went back to dangerously stare at the nurses, "And you guys have no idea how much I want him to take me inside my office right now. That man is the kind of man you crave for all your life, every minute of every day." She paused, "And he made me come so many times last night I won't even dare give you the exact number from fear of cardiac arrests!"

"Well, let's go!" House said joyfully, completely in trance.

"You're lucky I'm not firing you guys for gossiping just so easily in front of your boss." She said, giving them one last evil look before taking House's hand in hers, leading him away from the station. He was all the things she had said; she didn't want House's reputation to be affected by lies and pure 'sensational'. She heard one last murmur though.

"No wonder I've been told she is a man!" Cuddy heard one of the two nurses say and stopped. She let go of House's hand and turned on her heels to face him. As she gave the nurses a few glances, she realized they were back to working. House hadn't even been bothered by those comments. He was quite glad and … horny?

"Why did we stop?" He asked, "Come on, they're idiots, let's go and have some fun."

"You son of a bitch…" She trailed. "How much did you give them?"

What could soon become a heated conversation put an end to the people in the room's ramblings. Silence filled the entire room.

"Ten dollars each." He admitted, smirking.

"You went too far, House." She said, utterly mad, "You made me insult two nurses and talk about my sex life with you just so I'd … just what? Tell you how much I want you?" she paused, "That's not begging here House, that's pure and cruel humiliation."

"Come on Cuddy, I just wanted to win." He said, "You know me, I do everything in my power to win. I never thought you'd feel this-"he tried.

"That's the problem House, you always want to win and I let you." She remarked, not done with the yelling.

"Calm down, Cuddy." He said, calmly, "You're overreacting."

"I've been enabling you for years. You, you just can't do that to me, you just can't let me win." She said, her voice trailing slightly as she looked away from him.

"Cuddy, it's just a game!" He said, definitely not prepared for her to get that extreme.

"A game I wanted to play, I know!" She expressed, "But it's always a reminder…" She paused.

"A reminder of what?"He asked her, the staff and patients in the room holding their breaths.

She breathed in, "That you're too attached to yourself." And said, rightfully playing with words he would have never thought could hurt so bad.

House furrowed his brows and scowled, not liking what he was understanding perfectly. She closed her eyes once and opened them again to see him look down on the floor. She took it as her turn to leave and headed back inside her office. As soon as she was out of sight, House rushed out of the clinic and went for the elevators. He got into one and pressed the fourth floor button. In between thoughts and floors, he hit the stop button.

His anger went from a surge of adrenaline to a wave of kicks in the walls of the elevators in no time. It took his right leg not long to fold from the throbbing pain, which made him collapse on the floor. He started rubbing his leg, cursing himself for not having any vicodin on him. He picked his phone from his pocket and dialed a friendly number.

"Hey, Greg." He heard Kelly say as she picked up, "How was last night?" She asked.

"Amazing until a few minutes ago." He admitted, uttering small cries of pain.

"Greg, what's going on?"Kelly asked, fear rising in her tone.

"I don't have any vicodin on me so maybe I could ask you to… you know; ease my pain with your words." He chuckled, trying to make the situation sound less grave. After all, it shouldn't be, except it was.

"What happened to your leg?" She asked, calmly.

"I'm in the elevator; I set it to pause and then started hitting its walls instead of my stupid self." He admitted, screaming some more.

"What happened with Lisa, Greg?" She asked.

"You're not very helping with your words, Kelly." He snarled.

"What did you do?"She asked once more.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" He said, "I wanted to win a game we've started this morning. A stupid thing really and she didn't like the way I won, she felt humiliated."

"Did she have a reason to?" She asked.

"Hey I asked the nurses to say I was bad in bed, if that isn't more humiliating!" He remarked.

"Did she have a reason to feel exposed?" She tried again.

Exposed. Maybe that was a better word. "Probably, "House admitted, "She told everyone how much she loved to have me around in a way-"He started.

"She said things you would never say." Kelly sighed, "Am I right?"

House simply sighed.

"She loves you, Greg. You can't blame her for wanting some reciprocity." Kelly remarked.

"Cuddy thinks she loves me, she loves the things I represent, if she's in love, she's in love with someone I don't want her to be in love with."

"Does this mean that after so many efforts you're going to push her away again?"Kelly asked, tired of his inability to let himself be.

"She wants to save me. I don't want to be saved." He kept going.

"Do you love her, Greg?" She asked, using her ultimate card.

"What?" He asked, taken aback.

"Do you love her?" She repeated.

"I know I love her." He answered, closing his eyes.

"It's an amazing feeling House but you can't seem to be able to deal with it properly-"She started, almost patronizing him.

"It's not, it makes me weak, it makes me vulnerable… and it can't make me happy." He expressed.

"Nothing does, Greg." She stated, "As long as you won't stop fearing pain, you'll never be happy. Make her see you, make her see the one who you want her to be in love with."

"So you agree with me!" He paused, "Good. We can all agree that she's fooling herself."

"No, you are. You live under the illusion that she doesn't love all of you because you think she only knows the hurting House. You're wrong. I've seen the way she looks at you." She paused, "It's the exact same way I used to look at my ex-husband."

"Wow, great example! Look at you and Sanada now, you guys are divorced!" House pushed it.

"People go through so many irrational responses that they can't tell the difference between what is happening in front of them and what has been going through their heads all along." She claimed, not wanting to enter another debate. Her relationship with Sanada was no use to this conversation. "Yes, maybe Cuddy has overreacted, maybe she is stupid for thinking the way she does but it's her right to protect herself. You on the other hand, don't get to have that right." She expressed.

"Come on, I'm already walking like a guy without fear of pain, I have a right to protect myself!" He stated, the pain in his leg definitely not easing which made him think less clearly.

"Apparently you can't walk like a man without fear of pain. Right now you're still on the verge of chopping off your damn leg yourself since you can't make contact with pain-"She started.

"Hey, I'm hurting right now, remember?" He yelled over the phone.

"She has the right to protect herself because she is in contact with pain all the fucking time with you, idiot!" Kelly yelled herself.

There House got what he wanted; he got taken aback and was rendered speechless, his breathing being the only thing transferred to the other end of the receiver.

"I asked her if she could be happy with me and from what happened last night, I think her answer was a yes." He said, his voice low, slightly trailing off.

"She is happy with you, she's just not happy with your pain." Kelly explained, she sighed and added, "You know what the affirmation is, you know the answer-"

"And you better not repeat that phrase again because I can sense Sanada's tone in yours right now." He said, about to hang up.

"Cut if off-"She started.

"Thanks, hanging up now!" He said, grinning slightly.

"Or love without fear of pain." She finished but he had already hung up. "Yeah, I can invent things too." She said to herself before closing her phone as well.

House stood up and went to push the fourth floor button again, as he reached it and the doors slid open, he saw Wilson.

"Good Lord, House! I've been wondering what was going on with this elevator for the past ten minutes!"He paused, scratching his head, "Well now I think: I should have known it had something to do with you!"

"Can I ask you for something?" House asked, meeting his friend in the large corridor.

"Wait, you want me to actually help you with something?" Wilson paused, "After all the stunts you've been pulling at me, why should I be so kind?"

"Come on, you've been wanting to help me since you've met me." House expressed.

Wilson sighed and said, "Okay, what is it?"

"Can you teach me how to beg?" House asked.

Wilson gave House a dumbfounded look.

* * *

Cuddy had decided to take the rest of the day off. She went to pick up Rachel herself at Preschool.

"Hey baby!" She said, hugging her daughter, "Did you miss me last night?"

Rachel nodded, "But I had a very good time!" She said and Cuddy laughed.

"Well, now you're going to have to be with mommy all Sunday! But if you don't want to we can-" Cuddy pretended she didn't care.

"No mommy! I want to be with you!!!" Rachel replied, honestly, "I want you mommy." She added, hugging her mother tight.

"I want you too, honey. Get in the car." She said, opening the door to her daughter.

"Can Uncle House stay the night too and spend Sunday with us?" Rachel asked, getting in the backseat.

Cuddy bit her lip as she fasted Rachel's seatbelt in the baby car seat, "I don't think he'll be coming for dinner tonight."

"Why?" Rachel asked, "He doesn't love to be with us?"

"No, actually, you know, maybe he'll show up." Cuddy tried, in order to put an end to the conversation, even though it was quite selfish, "He usually does." She murmured to herself as she closed the door to the backseat. She got into her car, fasted her seatbelt and picked up her cell from her suitcase and dialed Cameron's number.

"Hey Lisa, what's-"Cameron tried.

"Tell me I'm an idiot?" Cuddy told her to.

"What the-"Cameron tried again.

"Please, just tell me I'm an idiot."Cuddy repeated.

"You're an idiot."Cameron said, "Now will you tell-" She tried again but Cuddy had already hung up.

* * *

Don't worry the reasons for Cuddy's emotional response to House can be explained quite easily imo, I mean, it's a plausible reaction. I hope you liked the way I did it. :)


	30. Chapter 29

**Author's note:** So this is the first of the last two chapters and then you'll get an epilogue. If you guys believe there really is a need for a sequel (or maybe I'll start working on another fic, I don't know but not yet and you might have to wait till this summer since I'm gonna have some shit loads of work to do for uni.), I will consider it but there's no guarantee. (seriously, I'm torned, you guys will have to guide me into chosing to make a sequel or not!) :) I just really hope you enjoy the end of this story. It should be complete within the next two or three days. :) I still can't believe my fic is the size of a book when it comes to the word count, lol. Anyway, don't forget to review, if you feel like I'm being an ass for not making this story last longer or if you know just still love it. ;)

ENJOY! xD

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**Chapter 29: Tell me how you get what you need.**

"House, you don't need my help." Wilson stated as he and House had reached his office.

"I wouldn't have asked for it if I actually didn't need it" House rolled his eyes as he sat on his friend's couch.

"Sorry, I won't." Wilson folded his arms against his chest.

"Seriously?!" House mocked his friend.

"Did that Sanchana guy ever helped you when you were hiding in the mountains?" Wilson asked.

"No, Sanada never helped me per se, he showed me ways… and I always had to make a choice." House admitted.

"Well, good!" Wilson paused, "You know your options, so go do what you have to do."

"Come on, you're not fun!" House said.

"I will not enable you because this is how you screw up everything that is good for you." Wilson explained.

"There aren't any warning signs, you know!" House protested, "I can't make a decision, okay?"

"What?" Wilson asked, bewildered.

"I can't for the life of me make a decision about the way I want to feel… the way I feel." House admitted.

"In all the years I've known you; I think it's the first thing you've ever said to me that is rationalized in your favor." Wilson smiled.

"Do I want to stay miserable or do I want to give Cuddy and I a real chance?" House entered his thought process in front of a bewildered Wilson.

"Is that your way of saying you might be ready to look for happiness?" Wilson asked.

"What am I rambling about? I can't be happy. She can't make me." House frowned.

"Okay, here I'm going to help you just because I think you're on the right path."Wilson paused, "Just go apologize for whatever happened between the two of you today. Be subtle, don't put any sort of pressure on her, make her feel in control of the situation and just try to be yourself except just a little nicer." Wilson paused again, "Okay?"

House said nothing.

"I know you're probably thought processing something awfully wrong that you think is going to work in your favor right now but let me just say, you are vulnerable already. You need to accept it and do what you do best: fear your vulnerable side, maybe it'll trigger something!" Wilson offered, "Okay I have seriously no idea what the hell I was on about with this but-"

House got up from the couch and rushed his way outside Wilson's office.

Wilson stood there dumbfounded and yelled, "WHY DOES HE ALWAYS HAVE TO DO THAT SUPERMAN-LIKE?!"

* * *

"Mommy! Your phone rings!" Rachel called after her mother from the couch.

Cuddy rushed from the kitchen to the living room and searched for her phone inside her bag,

"Hey Kelly, to what do I-"Cuddy tried, answering.

"Whatever he does, don't let him do it."Kelly said.

"What?!" Cuddy said, fear getting to her.

"Prevent him from doing something stupid. He can't control himself which makes me a hundred percent certain he'll push you away somehow, don't let him win. I know this is hard for you, most of the time to hear all the nasty stuff he says but please, just don't give up on him yet." Kelly admitted.

"As much as I'd like to, I know I can't." Cuddy admitted.

"Oh, really?" Kelly answered, quite astounded.

"I'm an idiot, I know what to expect from him and still being even closer to him makes me act more like an idiot than I ever thought possible. I know he's the one for me; he's the only person I can get. It's a curse but I'm addicted to him." Cuddy explained.

"You two aren't doomed, Lisa." Kelly said.

Suddenly, Cuddy's doorbell rung, "Sorry, there's someone at the door, I've got to go, maybe it's him!" Cuddy joked, "Maybe he'll embrace his vulnerability." She chuckled, "Talk to you later, Kelly." She said hanging up.

The sound of her high heels clicking reached the front door and she opened it. It was House, hands in pockets with a pretty tense look on his face.

She sighed, "Come on in, you've won, I really don't need you to beg."

"I'm in love with you." He said, loud enough for Rachel to hear.

Cuddy lay still and stunned; trying to process what had just reached her ears.

"Here there you go, I'm embracing fear!" he tried to joke.

Cuddy's eyes went wide and without thinking about what she was doing, she closed the door on him. That definitely was unexpected. She was folding, letting him win and he…folded?

"Wow, no hug?" He joked again, but she could sense the amount of fear resting in his tone.

"What did you just say?" Cuddy asked him from behind the door.

"I've just said it and since you've closed the door on me, it means you've heard it right!" He protested through gritted teeth.

"Say it again." She said.

"Don't you want to see the look on my face when I say it?" He asked.

"No. Say it again." She said.

"I'm in love with you." He said again, "I love you so much that I could break your door right now."

A big smile formed on her face and she opened the door for him again.

"Pfew, you really got me scared for a minute because after all the bullshit Wilson and everybody else have been telling me about opening up and stuff and-"He tried but in an instant she had put her mouth to his for a tender kiss.

"Dude, I should say that all the time." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"It's good enough for now." She said, "You may come in."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"I've always known you were in love with me." She explained.

He came inside her house slowly and saw Rachel on the couch, "No you didn't!" He paused, she rolled her eyes and he said to Rachel, "Hello Little One!"

"Uncle House! You came!" She said, rushing to him and hugged his leg.

He eyed Cuddy carefully and whispered, "Not yet but I hope so, very _very_ soon." He smirked.

Cuddy shook her head but smiled, "I'm going to check on the lasagna."

"Yummy! I'm so glad I came to your house in the end. Go cook woman." He joked, taking Rachel in his arms.

"You saying it… doesn't make me your new slave." She warned him as she went to the kitchen.

House groaned and with Rachel still clung to his neck; he moved to sit on the couch, "So I got you something, Little One."

"Really?" She said, eyes wide.

"Don't use that cute tone with me, you'll get it anyway." He frowned.

"You don't scare me, you know?" She shrugged.

"Of course, I don't scare you. You're a Cuddy woman!" He explained, getting something from his pocket.

"Oh!! Hello Kitty Band-Aids!" She said, as he handed them to her, "Thank you, House!"

Cuddy heard that and it brought another smile to her face –actually over the one that hadn't disappeared yet.

"Did you just call me House instead of Uncle House?" He asked, intrigued.

"You're better than an uncle!"She explained, "That's why I can't call you uncle!"

"Is that all?" House asked, hugging the little one closer.

"And because you love mommy like I do." She said.

Cuddy had expected some private joke but it never came, he simply said, "I sure do, Little One." And if she could have seen him, she was sure she could have make out a smile just from his tone.

"Dinner's ready!" She yelled from the kitchen.

* * *

Rachel was very tired during dinner, House didn't like that and decided to examine her and put his wonderful lasagna on hold. Cuddy said she could do it herself but she couldn't stop it, he reminded her a few times that he was still a doctor and that she wasn't –knowing this would piss her off. Indeed, Little Rachel presented with the symptoms of a little cold. Nothing serious but Cuddy decided to put her to bed early.

As Cuddy was done wishing good night to her daughter, House came in and decided to wish her a good… something as well.

"Well Little One, you sleep tight and try to think of –no that can't work for you-"He tried.

"What the hell are you telling my daughter?!" Cuddy called after him with, warningly. House could hear the beginning of Young Folks playing on Cuddy's stereo.

"You mind the music?" House asked, concerned about the little one's sleep somehow.

"No, I love music. I've played on grandma's piano once, I'd like to learn someday." She said. This brought a smile to House.

"High Five, Little One." He said and they high fived, "Well, maybe I'll teach you someday."He said.

"Thanks, House!" She said, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight, Little One." He said, on his way out and closed the door behind him.

"So…" He said moving closer to Cuddy who was standing against the door to her bedroom, arms folded.

"So…" She said the same, eyeing him carefully with a small grin on her face.

"You want a drink?" He asked.

"No, I'm fine." She said.

"You want me to go?" He asked, not sure about what to do anymore.

She nodded her head no, biting her bottom lip.

"You want me to explain myself?" He asked.

She nodded her head yes.

"You'll be surprised that I haven't thought this through." He said, "I just felt like letting it out."

"So, you don't mean it?" She asked.

"I think about it all the time." He admitted.

"Why now? Why after four years?" She asked.

"You mean why after almost twenty something years?" He retorted.

"What?" She frowned.

"The first time I saw you, in college, I've had this thing in my chest." He tried to explain, "In between a wound and butterflies." He admitted.

"Okay…" She trailed off.

"A damaged man with a damaged heart that couldn't handle butterflies, if you prefer." He claimed.

"That's beautifully put but does that mean I've been hurting you this whole time?" She expressed.

"You know how being a genius makes you an idiot, right?" He said.

"I'm with you so far." She eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, my childhood with my mother and… dad, my college years with my love affairs, my career, with my friendships, Stacy… my leg, you hiring me…" He paused, "I've never been able to assess things properly because I was scared of making myself vulnerable. But I was wrong, I was actually making myself vulnerable because I wouldn't do anything to make it stop."

"What changed?" She asked, her heart beat racing.

"If I say 'you', wouldn't that be just a little too cheesy?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I don't mind cheesy." She said.

"You've said nothing, you know?" He remarked.

"About what?" She asked, playing him.

"You know damn well what I'm supposed to want to hear." He added, moving to stand before her.

"Exactly." She whispered, "You want to hear something else." She said, "You don't want to be jerked around." She added and he put his arms on each side of her in order to trap her against the bedroom door.

"Let me make up my own mind." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You loving me and me loving you don't change the fact that you don't believe I can make you happy." She explained.

"And what if I told you that I don't believe you love the real me?" He said, moving his face to her neck, breathing in her smell and breathing out on the soft skin.

"I don't care what you believe in." She said, tugging him close, "I've always loved you."

"This is a scary place to be in." He admitted, kissing the crook of her neck.

"It is, isn't it?" She gasped, smiling as she caressed his back.

"But if feels good." He said, moving to her jaw line.

"I need you." She breathed.

House left her jaw line to look into her eyes, "You sure you aren't faking it all?" He eyed her carefully, "You know, since you're a whore and everything." He joked.

She took his face in her hands and said, "I'm a special whore, I don't fake."

"Every woman fakes." He joked.

"Not your woman." She murmured.

"So you admit that you're mine?" He joked, putting his nose against hers.

"Nope, I allow you to be mine." She retorted.

"So…" He breathed.

"Make love to me." She whispered and in an instant, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her passionately. She moaned in his mouth as his tongue was doing wonders beyond her senses.

He stopped kissing her deeply and said "Haven't I been doing it the whole time?" in between kisses.

"God, you really do know how to ruin the moment!" She yelled, opening the door behind her.

"Sorry, it's just you saying it, turns me on." He said, kissing her some more as they both stumbled to the floor, from walking backwards.

House shut the door slowly with his feet, from fear of waking Little Rachel up and Cuddy who was under him retorted, "Bullshit, when I say fuck me, you're turned on just as much."

"Say it." He said, his blue eyes falling in to the grey of hers.

"Let me think: I want to get boned, I want you to fuck me, I want to get fucked out, screw me, please just do me…" She tried but he stopped her by putting his mouth against hers.

As he breathed in her he repeated, "Say it."

"Make love to me." She gasped in his mouth.

"You make love to me, woman!" He retorted and she rolled her eyes.

"Seriously… over with the foreplay!" She said, putting her mouth to his some more.

She hiked up her skirt for him and guided his hands so that they would reach her thong. She was asking him to take it off so that her hands would be free to unbutton her shirt. House took off her thong in haste and watched her unbutton her shirt to reveal the matching bra with a… clasp on the front. Her eyes told him to take it unclasp it himself and she put her hands on his shirt and she put it over his head and threw it to the ground. He unclasped her bra and buried his face in between her breasts. She tried to reach for his belt as he started to suck on her nipples. She unbuttoned his jeans and tried to focus on unzipping it, she really wanted no foreplay. She just needed him. House got that and got away from her to take off as much of his jeans and boxers as he could. As he put himself on her once more, trapping her between him and the floor, he realized she wouldn't care about the carpet burns she would experience in the morning and looked in her eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" She breathed, closing the gap between his mouth and hers once more.

"I'm sorry; it's just… like…" He tried.

"Greg?" She asked, biting his lower lip after speaking.

In a swift move he thrust up inside her and remained still and he breathed against her chin, "See, you just called me Greg." He said, with a sheepish grin and she started to frown but then smiled before his mouth went to crash back on hers. Her nails came in contact with the skin of his back and as his trusts became harder, sweat formed all over her body –even in the coolness of her room. 'Faster' she would moan into the crook of his neck and as much as he believed he was in control, with a woman like Cuddy he could never fully be. Reaching his peek, he realized she was reaching hers as well and in rush of pleasure, they experienced something two people can only experience so rarely in their lives: climaxing at the same time. Pleasure could have been enough at that moment. Orgasms are just a bonus but there at that moment for the two of them, it came as, not so much a surprise but a discovery: They are not fated.

"So, you don't need your after sex smoke?" He chuckled in her ear.

"I've quit." She exhaled.

"No you haven't." He claimed.

"I'm trying."She said, "Just like you're trying to be happy." She added.

"We make a great combination." He laughed, kissing the back of her ear.

"We're great addictions." She smiled, caressing his back.

"You're beautiful." He said, scanning her with his eyes as he had recovered.

"You too." She added, her fingers resting on his hair.

He smiled like he didn't believe her finding him beautiful and she added, "I've seen you naked a million times."She bit her lower lip, as a sign that she loved everything about his body.

"Not like this." He said and in a second she put his body to hers again, the weight of him making her want to stay trapped with him and by him for eternity.

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_Soooo, do we make House happy or not? ;) _


	31. Chapter 30

**End of Part 3. Wow this has been one amazing ride for me, I hope it was one for you guys as well. I really love that chapter. Don't forget to review this one as much as the last one. And for those who'll read this story after it's done, just leave me a little review and tell me what you think of it. Maybe, it'll make me want to write more stories, if the muse gets away. ;)**

**Check the Sonnet I used if you don't already know it by heart, lol, to see that it clearly isn't what itis, and check the songs, I suggest you listen to Nothing Like You and I by the Perishers while you read this (it's on youtube), it's such an amazing song. :)**

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**Chapter 30: Tell me about the stars.**

The next morning, for billions of people, the sun that was shining so perfectly awoke babies, children, teenagers, popular kids, unpopular kids, geeks, quarterbacks, cheerleaders, teachers, students, professors, couples, married couples, old people, and whether they were depressed or not, a day like that couldn't be missed out on. This is a regular Sunday but, a beautiful one. The day of the week, where in most countries, people can have a break; if their job allows them too. Two doctors, one that considers herself as such and one that considers the other one as an administrator opened their eyes almost simultaneously. The both of them were lying on their chest, hands under the cushions. Looking into each others eyes, the sun warming their exposed backs, nothing could break what was simply a wonderful way to wake up. White sheets and a white light surrounding them, the winter day would have seemed like a summer day if they hadn't known when they were. Their eyes were smiling for them and one skin eventually made contact with the other's skin, one hand left its position under the cushion and the other one followed: two palms from two individuals reached a central spot in between the two and touched. The two people lying next to each other never leaving the other's gaze, instinctively entwined their fingers, caressing with their thumbs what was in their reach.

"I love waking up next to you." Cuddy murmured.

"I'm not complaining either." House smirked.

"We got what, a few minutes before you start annoying me?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'll give you just a little longer if you promise me we'll wake up the same way tomorrow even if it rains." He spoke, never blinking.

"It's a beautiful day." She nodded slowly, head still resting on the cushion.

"_My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red_; -"He started to recite.

"You're an ass." She shook her head, slightly.

"Shakespeare says it so much better than I ever could." He mocked her, grinning.

"But I know what you actually mean. I might not be able to beat Shakespeare but I can definitely beat you." She smiled.

They were both mesmerized by the sight of the other at that moment. It was what they had both been dreaming of somehow, without losing their true nature.

"And you're not my mistress." He winked at her, bringing himself closer to her, her hand in his making contact with his chest, "You're my whore."

"And you sleep with your boss." She said, bringing her upper-body to his level, "That makes you my plaything." She smirked.

House let go of her hand suddenly and put it against his eyes to hide the sight before him, "I see boobies!!! HELP!" He faked horror.

She moved his hand away from his eyes and said, "You better get used to them." Bringing her mouth to his upper lip, sucking on it slightly.

"If I ever get used to them, it'll mean I'll never ever be turned on by them again." He shrugged, moving his mouth upwards to kiss her nose.

"Thank God, I'm not that difficult." She replied, moving her stirring self to lie on her back again.

"Thank God, I can't get used to anything." He said, crawling abruptly to end up resting on her. "And you can't escape me for the morning quickie now."

"Why does it have to be a quickie?" She frowned, definitely ready for more than just a quickie.

"Because, like you've said, it's a beautiful day." He paused, she was looking at his mouth and then moved to his eyes, "And I wouldn't miss this opportunity to show off with you by my side for the world." He smiled slightly. He added, trailing kisses all the way from her collarbone to her belly button.

"Are you trying to use me as a means to look like a socialized human being?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Nope, I'm just an ass who wants to make you beg for more sex by the end of the day." He said, crawling back under the sheets, in between her legs.

"Fuck you, House." She said, trying to suppress the moans that started coming from her mouth.

"That's the plan." She could hear him say from under the sheets. She grabbed the headboard of the bed, spreading her legs a little wider, to allow him what she wasn't really trying to forbid. As waves of pleasure started to move from her now wet groin to her absent mind, every bit of nerves aching for more, she moved her body to the rhythm of his mouth on her. She heard a little cry escape him as her nails came in contact fiercely with his back, "Sorry." She breathed.

He moved upwards, breaking the wet contact, and let his head out from under the sheets, "I said no bondage until we split, you evil masochistic princess!" He made a funny face at her.

"Go back down there, I'll beg, I promise, just stop talking." She expressed, rushing him back under the sheets.

Suddenly Cuddy heard a tiny knock on the door.

"You taught her how to knock?" House inquired, raising the sheet slightly above his forehead, stopping any hidden activities.

"No! She usually just barges in." She whispered, shaking her head no.

"_You wuss! Let me do it!_" They both heard a female's voice behind the door. In an instant, Cuddy spotted Serena coming in, "Hello, lovebirds!"

Cuddy had a look of horror on her face as House stood still under the sheets, "Is that who I think it is under those sheets?" Serena asked, doing everything in her power not to laugh.

"No, it's Santa." She heard House say, "Is the impotent with you?" House asked, still not moving from under the covers.

Cuddy who had remained speechless this entire time, trying to cover her naked self up with the sheets, saw Wilson holding Rachel in his arms behind the opened door. Rachel had Wilson's hand on her eyes. "Wilson, you mind covering your eyes as well?" Cuddy asked, getting out of her extremely surprised state.

"I'm holding your daughter here…" He tried to say in his own defense but added, "We'll be in the living room." He said, trying to look anywhere else but at what was going on in the bedroom.

"What the hell are you doing here, Serena?" House asked, still under the sheets.

"First of all, she's my best friend; second of all you're new to this but today is picnic day!" She shrugged.

"You could have called!" Cuddy gave her a distressed look.

"I wouldn't have missed that for the world. And you should have locked your door."Serena paused, "How inappropriate, Lisa! You have a four year old, remember?" Serena smirked.

"Tell me she's not enjoying this…" House murmured, resting on Cuddy's legs under the sheets, burying his head just a little to close to where he was working on earlier.

"God, House! Will you move your head from… there?" She said through gritted teeth, the unsettling situation even more unsettling now. House moved and she said, "And yes, she is."

"Anyway, you guys better be ready within the next twenty minutes because we have to be at the park for noon and it's almost 11 AM." She winked at them, "Twenty minutes. We'll have our earplugs on." She repeated, closing the door behind her.

"God! What the hell was that?!"Cuddy let out as House moved back to her side.

"I know! Serena giving us twenty minutes for a quickie was really nice of her. I'm starting to like that bitchy friend of yours." House blinked a few times, indubitably mocking Cuddy.

"How can you even be thinking about a-"She tried as he moved himself back on top of her and put his mouth to hers, his hands trailing in between her thighs.

"Because you…" He said in between kisses, sucking on her lips, "want me to finish this." She was gasping in his mouth, as his fingers worked on her groin.

She was losing it again, "They just… barged in… on our… moment." She tried, panting, against his mouth.

"I know, which is why I'm going to allow you to yell… real… hard." He murmured kissing her neck, the rhythm of their twisted bodies getting frantic.

"You're an ass…" She gasped, with her pleasure on the verge of ravaging her.

"And this is my day." He said, in complete control of her even though he was losing it, sensing her squirm under him as she moaned his jerkiness, repeatedly. If he could be even more honest with himself, he'd admit that his personal sense of happiness came just from watching her at that very moment, in the full sunlight of a Sunday morning.

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After they had gotten dressed, they had been rushed by Serena to drink their coffee. Rachel was feeling a lot better. House wondered if the Little One had been able to fake her cold or if he was just even a better doctor than he already thought he was. She was indeed practically cured, only sneezing here and there. House wanted to take Cuddy on his motorcycle for the ride to the park. Surprisingly to House, she didn't protest. It really was a beautiful day in House's head. Wilson and Serena took Rachel in their car and went to the park before House and Cuddy had even made it to the bike.

"Tell me… why didn't you say no to the bike ride?" He inquired as he put his helmet on.

"Because, I want to show off with my biker of a boyfriend." She smirked, putting her own helmet on.

"Are you trying to use me, Lisa Cuddy?" He asked, looking for something else in the bike's truck.

"Maybe." She shrugged, trying to see what House was looking for. She saw him picking up another helmet, a smaller violet helmet.

"Don't get mad but this one is for… Little One in case, you know someday… she wants to…" He tried, he really didn't want to put her off with a helmet that meant her daughter would eventually get on his bike or get to ride any other bike for that matter.

"House…" She tried as he started to look away, definitely unsure of himself here, "I love it."She smiled, the intention was sweet, and the attention he was giving to her daughter meant the world to him.

House put it back in the truck and said, "Cool." He replied, getting on his bike, "Hop on." He said before he started the engines. As she got on the bike she said, "But not until she's eighteen!" She warned him, putting her arms around his chest.

"By the way, it's even more dangerous since I got her the exact same type as our helmets." He smirked.

"What? Why?" She asked, slightly concerned.

"Because you can listen to the motorcycle's radio with them." He smirked, putting the radio on before he drove off.

The ride to the park took them two songs, nothing more, nothing less, the end of Wouldn't it be Nice by the Beach Boys and a good Nothing Like You and I by the Perishers. As Cuddy was holding onto him tightly, watching the trees they passed by so fast the sun that was still shining on them had a hard time chasing after them, she enjoyed what would be nice and who they were. The sun would erase all shadows in the end because that's who they are.

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At the park, they were joined by Cameron and Chase. The picnic went extremely well for most part, it seemed as nothing had changed but each of them knew something had. House hadn't changed; he was still an obnoxious jackass, which made the afternoon funny and quite absurd at the same time. But he was enjoying himself and that is something they had never seen so clearly, even to Wilson's eyes, until now. House invited everybody over at Cuddy's house for dinner, to Cuddy's dismay since she had no desire to cook. House promised her he would buy all the pizzas. Indeed, he did, only did he use Wilson's friendly money to do so. A couple of beers and piece of pizzas later, most of them were full and decided to head home but thanked House and Cuddy for the amazing day… which was really strange. Maybe it was just a beautiful day, the clear blue sky, maybe it was the fact that the sun had lasted till it reached the horizon. But it was worth it, for all of them. Sometimes you just have to enjoy what it is, without asking questions, because House simply, couldn't last another day. On Monday morning, they would get their favorite bastard back on tracks. In fact, they knew that because the last thing House said to them as they left was, "Don't forget about the four years of clinic duty you have to catch up on for me."

"You're talking to the wrong ducklings." Chase said, not really paying attention.

"But you're the most experienced ones!" He shouted from Cuddy's front door, "And my other assistants will have to work on the new case since me and my whore, are taking a few days off!"

They all shrugged and went back to their cars and drove off into the night.

"Your whore and yourself are coming in work tomorrow, whether you want to or not." Cuddy said, coming from behind, "And you're going to help me with the kitchen or you won't get any tonight."

"Come on! You're exhausting woman! I need my days off!" He whined, taking her hand in his.

"Inside, kitchen, now House!" She said, trying to get back inside.

"Okay but I'll come in late… and hey, hey, hey," He said, his grip firm on her, "Let's just stay outside for a minute."

Cuddy gave up and followed him to the front yard. He stopped himself just so he could hug her from behind, she smiled as he started to kiss her neck, "Good evening, whore." He said.

"Good night, House." She said, without trying hard enough to escape his hold on her.

"You want to hear a story."He said, letting her head rest on his chest so she could look up just like he was.

"As long as it's not about one of your ex hooker, like that one you told us this afternoon." She suppressed a smile.

"You see the stars?" He paused and she nodded, "Well each of them used to be a hooker, a lot of them died tragically because the sex with me was just mind-blowing." He smirked.

"Good night, House." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, okay." He said, preventing her from going anywhere, "Here it goes, some stupid people claim, thanks to their idiotic beliefs, that the stars are what is left of the sun at night. The sun guides people easily, the stars are what are left of that path at night, their marking is supposed to make sure people won't lose their way once they're surrounded by darkness."

"Wow, you're being all philosophical tonight." She chuckled, "I just want us to be done with the kitchen and head to bed and do naughty stuff, you know?" She toyed with him.

"In a way and this is going to sound stupid…" He rolled his eyes because he knew how cheesy this would sound, "You're my sun and you're those stars, whether I'm in a good mood or when I'm hurting, you're there and you're somehow what's left of what was there when I can't accept or deal with what I have."

"House…" She tried to turn back and face him.

"I'm not sure of what this means yet but I think it's about time I accept it and say it to you." He paused, eyes still locked on the stars above him, "And there I won't look down at what I see because when I see you, I'm completely hooked, I love you and you just… you…" He tried, his voice trailing off.

Cuddy could have sworn she had heard him sob and as his limbs started to let go of his grip on her, she turned around and faced him. She put her hands on his stubble and he put his own hands on her wrists, "You make me happy." He said, looking into her eyes.

She raised her mouth to his and kissed him. House put his arms around her waist, holding her close. His eyes weren't really closed and he could see tears had form in her eyes. He was happy and she was showing him how glad she was, how happy it made her feel.

She suddenly broke the kiss and said, "Kitchen, then bed and this is definitely not getting you out of clinic duty." She smiled, her nose resting against his.

"Unlike you! I wasn't faking!" He whined.

"I know." She murmured to his ear, "But if you want to make sure I'm not faking this, you'll have to chase after me and beg."

"But you'll always outrun me, right?"He said, trying to kiss her some more.

"That's the plan." She said, avoiding his kiss and rushing back inside the house, "Kitchen!" she shouted, not looking back.

House looked up at the stars one last time and sighed, "It was a beautiful day." And started chasing after her.

Meanwhile, nearby.

"Is that the place?" One man asked over the phone.

"Good. I'll see you when I come back." He said, hanging up.

Some passersby on the street could hear what seemed like a violent fight in the house nearby.

"_Come on, horny honey; let's make this a beautiful night as well_!" They could hear a man beg.

"_Oh shut up with your_-!" They could hear a woman yell back at the man and then, they could hear nothing. Silence had settled in the house again.

The man stopped them from wondering about calling 911.

This passerby moved closer to the house, he smiled and shouted from the closed window, "You should close the curtains!"

House stopped kissing Cuddy and raised his up in the aid, "Great! How many perverts are there in your neighborhood?"

Cuddy bit her lip and watched the man leave but not before House could see the old man wink at her. House moved to the window and said, "Hey perv, you mind?" House called after him again, "You want a good kick in the balls, is that what you want?" his voice, trailed off and he said, "Asshole…"

The old passerby didn't turn back but House could have sworn he had heard him say, "I remember giving you a good one a long time ago." This was all too familiar to him.

House stood there bewildered. "House?" Cuddy called after him, getting off the kitchen table and moved next to him, "House?" She asked again, "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, I'm…" He started to laugh, "I'm fine, and I'm great."He realized. Cuddy put her had to his face so that he would look at her and she said, "Good. So am I."

There's nothing like them and even if House gets to walk and love without fear of pain and even if Cuddy's enjoying every second of it, she's still the evil iceberg, Queen of the witches and her boss and he's still her horny bastard, obnoxious hot piece of ass of an employee.

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	32. Epilogue

**Of course I wasn't going to be a jackass for this story. From the begining I knew I was aiming for a happy ending. I just had to toy with you a lot because a little bit of drama is great. ;) I hope you got the thing that was at the end of the last chapter, this epilogue should help you figure it out anyway.**

**Anyway, I'm just wow, I don't know what to say really. In a way, I can't believe it's over, it's like I'm going to read my story again now just to see how messed up it was, hehe, or maybe I'll be surprised. Whatever happens, it's been amazing and thank you so much guys for all your reviews again. I know I probably don't deserve most of them but a little bit of attention is what many -if not everybody, crave for in life.**

**(and by the way the next episodes of House are going to be so amazing that I'm going to die, like most of you.) See you soon in the interwebz world.**

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**Epilogue**

"There are simple things in life like saying 'I love you', but it can take a whole life to decide when and how to say it, even more so when you actually do feel for someone. In the case of Gregory House, it has worked like poker tells. Picture a Poker game…

Okay, no seriously, I'm done with this. This is my last entry! I'm asking Serena to close her stupid blog down and I'm finishing this diary because I'm not miserable and neither is my soul mate Serena nor is House.

He's just happy and it's weird because it's Monday morning and I don't want this feeling to end so I'm going to close it with that entry, trap it in order to have it rest in peace for as long as possible.

Serena and I are both planning our bachelor and bachelorette's parties, respectively, DUH! I've heard she has tried to invite Kelly but it seems she's going back to Japan. She told her she was busy working on an old flame. I wonder what the heck that means but anyway, I don't think House will really be interested in the hookers since he's now _soooo much_ in love / inserts a grin, there, hehe… okay, stop!

Maybe I'm a little too optimistic, okay but seriously, he has let her in! He has let his guard down, he embraced his vulnerable side! I think he not only love Cuddy but I think he loves the Little One… err Rachel, I mean Rachel.

Simply because the things House does for one another always are grand gestures. But I think the grandest gesture he has done, has been to himself. He has achieved something that none of us would have thought possible if it wasn't… okay, no seriously! I don't know how the hell he has done it but he has done it! Acceptance, pure and simple acceptance. His intellect makes him a strong character but it's also what has made him so weak, he couldn't go past who he actually is. He had no reason to, except for one person. If I could use a good comparison, I'd say Lisa Cuddy is his universe. She put up with him, she has put up with his misery because she probably was meant to. They were both miserable and now they're-"

"HEY WILSON, CAN I GO CRASH AT YOUR PLACE TONIGHT FOR YOUR BACHELOR'S PARTY?! I WANT TO TAP SOME OF THE BISEXUAL STRIPPERS I'VE HIRED!" House shouted from behind Wilson's office door.

"Is Cuddy chasing after you?" Wilson asked with a knowing frown on his face and slowly started to work on closing his document.

"YES! BUT IT'S JUST A SMALL FIGHT! NOTHING BIG, SHE APOLOGIZED SAYING I COULD CHEAT ON HER!" House said.

"Seriously, what's with the yelling?" Wilson asked.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!" House screamed when he saw her, "Wilson, help me, She-Devil's here!" he whispered.

"My ears, please!" Wilson said matter-of-factly and added when Cuddy barged in frantically, "Besides, she's right next to you, idiot!"

"WILSON, TELL HIM THAT HE'S AN ASS!" Cuddy yelled.

"Like I don't know that already." House rolled his eyes, chuckling.

"The only woman you're going to come back home to screw tonight is me, capito?" She whispered to his ears.

"Thank God, you too have learned how to stop yelling and argue reasonably." Wilson sighed, comforted.

"And all the nights after that?" He asked Cuddy.

"And you can sneak in at Serena's Bachelorette party tomorrow. Hell, even during day time if you do your job." She nodded, this was reasonable after all, "But you gotta go now." She said with the cutest pout ever.

"Wait a minute. Weren't you two arguing just a minute ago?" Wilson asked, quite stunned.

"Nope, I just got me a raise. The fight is over." He waggled his eyebrows at Wilson.

"You're so easy." Cuddy rolled her eyes, "The only thing that's increasing right now is what's in your pants, House." She gave him a sultry look, before walking outside Wilson's office.

"Seriously, LOOK AT THAT ASS!" House started to yell again, "That's my MAN! AND BY MAN, I MEAN THAT HE STILL HASN'T PAID FOR THAT SURGERY!"

Wilson stood there, bewildered, "Is this going to be like that everyday now?" Wilson asked, annoyed.

"I SIGN BOTH YOUR PAYCHECKS, MY HOSPITAL, MY RULES!" She yelled, not turning back, "I DO WHATEVER I THE HECK I WANT! " She added, the clicking of her heels as well as the swaying of her ass, giving House naughty thoughts.

House groaned, while yelling, "YES WILSON, AS LONG AS SHE'S GOT ME BY THE BALLS IT'S GOING TO BE JUST LIKE THAT!" to Wilson but he was looking at Cuddy who gave him one wink and said, "YOU KNOW HOW I LOVE TO PLAY WITH THEM." before she disappeared in the halls of Princeton Plainsboro.

That comment had about thirty horrified looks and three grins popping up at once.

* * *


End file.
